The Taiwanese economy shrank more than expected in the first quarter, suggesting tighter links to a slowing China remain a drag on growth for the export-dependent nation.

台湾一季度经济萎缩超过预期，表明与增长放缓的中国更紧密的联系，对依赖出口的台湾经济的增长仍在造成拖累。

Taiwanese GDP contracted by 0.84 per cent from a year earlier in the March quarter, accelerating from contraction of 0.52 per cent at the end of 2015 and exceeding expectations of a 0.65 per cent contraction among economists surveyed.

台湾今年首季国内生产总值(GDP)同比收缩0.84%，比2015年底0.52%的收缩速度有所加快，也超出了受访经济学家此前0.65%的收缩预期。

The latest growth report is the worst since a contraction of 0.98 per cent in the third quarter of 2009, the most recent contraction before the economy shrank by 0.80 per cent in the quarter ended September last year.

新出炉的这份增长报告是2009年第三季度以来最差成绩，当时的收缩幅度为0.98%。2009年第三季度是近期首次经济收缩，其后的第二次收缩是去年第三季度的-0.80%。

Taiwan’s central bank trimmed its benchmark rate to 1.5 per cent in March after cutting rates twice last year in September and December.

在去年9月和12月两次降息后，台湾央行今年3月将基准利率下调至1.5%。

Figures from the National Statistics Office in Taipei showed manufacturing activity had pared losses to -4.1 per cent in the first quarter year on year, easing from -4.74 per cent the previous quarter. Taiwan’s purchasing manufacturers index in March rose to 51.7 from a February reading of 50, though prices continued to fall as firms sought to line up more work.

来自台湾“中华民国统计资讯网”的数据显示，今年一季度制造业与去年同期相比跌幅缩小至-4.1%，比前一季度的-4.74%有所缓解。台湾3月份采购经理人指数(PMI)升至51.7，2月的指数为50。虽然企业计划增加就业机会，但价格仍继续下降。

But the contraction in construction accelerated by 3.15 percentage points to -4.65 per cent, with wholesale/retail and transportation/storage activity both slipping further into negative territory.

但建筑业收缩加速3.15个百分点，降至-4.65%，而且批发及零售业、运输及仓储业的数据都进一步跌入负值。

While electricity/gas activity had clawed its way back from a fall of 11.78 per cent last quarter to eke out growth of 0.01 per cent year on year, the only area to show any substantial growth was real estate, which rose by about a percentage point to 1.38 per cent.

电力及燃气供应业从去年第四季度11.78%的跌幅重回增长，同比勉强上涨至0.01%。唯一表现出实质性增长的领域是房地产，上涨约1个百分点至1.38%。