SHIJIAZHUANG -- Hebei province, which neighbors Beijing and is known for severe winter smog, has recorded its best air quality since pollution control measures were implemented five years ago, local authorities said Friday.Hebei's average PM2.5 level in 2017 was 65 micrograms per cubic meter, down 7.1 percent year-on-year, marking a decrease of nearly 40 percent from 2013.PM2.5 is a measure of the density of hazardous particulate in the air. The World Health Organization recommends an annual PM2.5 level of 10 micrograms per cubic meter.Hebei also recorded improvements in the density of other major pollutants such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and PM10, with sulfur dioxide down 63.5 percent compared with 2013.While the number of heavy pollution days decreased from 80 in 2013 to 29, the province also enjoyed 202 good air days last year, 73 more than in 2013.Hebei has experienced an unusual streak of clear air this winter. From October to November, PM2.5 levels dropped 37.4 percent year-on-year. wristband comblack rubber wristbandswristband design24 hour wristbands coupon code24hr wristbandslap wristbandsrubber wristbands in bulkyouth wristbands202mm to inches
BEIJING -- China has lodged stern representations with the United States over a Taiwan-related bill, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said over the weekend.It was reported that US President Donald Trump on Friday signed the bill that encourages visits between the United States and China's Taiwan at all levels.We firmly oppose the US side signing the Taiwan Travel Act, spokesperson Lu Kang said.As has been pointed out many times by China, the relevant clauses of the act, though not legally binding, severely violate the one-China principle and the three joint communiques between China and the United States, Lu said.The Taiwan Travel Act sends out very wrong signals to pro-independence separatist forces in Taiwan, Lu said, noting that China was strongly opposed to this.We urge the US side to correct its mistake, stop pursuing any official ties with Taiwan or improving its current relations with Taiwan in any substantive way, and handle Taiwan-related issues properly and cautiously so as to avoid causing severe damage to China-US relations and cross-Strait peace and stability, Lu said.Taiwan is a part of China and issues regarding Taiwan are completely internal affairs of China, said Wu Qian, spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense.Wu stressed that the bill had interfered in the internal affairs of China and injured the environment for the development of relations between the two countries' militaries.China demands that the US keep its promises, rectify its wrongs, refrain from implementing relevant clauses of the bill and stop seeking any official contacts, military ties or arms sales with Taiwan, so as to avoid doing serious harm to the China-US relationship, the ties between the two countries' militaries and the peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, Wu said.
