2019年经济学人 中美贸易:根深蒂固 (1)

 

Less than a week after the White House described trade talks in Beijing as "candid¹ and constructive²",

白宫称在北京举行的贸易谈判是“坦诚且具有建设性的”，

American and Chinese negotiators met again on April 3rd in Washington, DC.

不到一周后，美国和中国谈判代表在华盛顿特区再次会面。

There is talk of a summit between the two countries' presidents. But amid the upbeat noises are a few discordant³ notes.

有人称两国领导人进行了会晤。但在这欢快的声音中夹杂着一些不和谐的音符。

Without a deadline, the discussions could drag on, or even stall.

没有截止日期的话，讨论可以延期或甚至是停止。

Although the contours of a deal seem clear, the final items are always the trickiest⁴. And even if a deal is struck, it may not be a good one.

虽然协议的轮廓看似清晰，但最终条款总是最难搞定的。即使达成协议，这也有可能不是一份好协议。

The two sides have already agreed on provisions relating to currency manipulation,

双方已经就汇率操纵规定达成一致，

and are hashing out how much more American goods the Chinese will commit to buying.

并正在协商解决的是中国承诺更多的购买多少美国产品的问题。

Rules on technology transfer and American companies' access to the Chinese market are still being discussed.

关于技术转让以及美国公司进入中国市场的规定仍在商讨之中。

Also on the table will be American demands that China relaxes its attitude to trade in data, which it sees as a threat to national security.

同样将要讨论的还有美国要求中国放松其对数据贸易的态度，中国将之视为对国家安全的威胁。

Some in the Trump⁵ administration see the negotiations⁶ as an opportunity to demand reforms that would also benefit China,

特朗普政府中的一些人将谈判看做是一次要求改革的机会，这些改革也将惠及中国，

such as a more stringent⁷ intellectual-property regime or trimmed subsidies⁸.

比如更严格的知识产权制度或是削减补贴。

The main objective of the Chinese delegation⁹, led by Liu He, a vice-premier, is simpler:

由副总理刘鹤所带领的中国代表团的目标更简单：

the lifting of the tariffs¹⁰ imposed since last July, which currently cover just over 44% of Chinese exports to America, or goods worth $250bn in 2017.

解除自去年7月实施的关税，目前超过44%的中国对美国出口受到了影响，即2017年价值2500亿美元的商品。

According to Myron Brilliant of the US Chamber¹¹ of Commerce, a lobby group, the talks starting on April 3rd focused on two of the thorniest¹² topics.

游说组织美国商会的薄迈伦·布里连特认为，开始于4月3日的谈判的关注点是两个棘手的主题。

The first was which, if any, of the tariffs will be dropped upon reaching a deal.

第一个是一旦协议达成后，哪些关税将被解除。

The Trump administration sees tariffs as leverage¹³, useful to make sure that the Chinese stick to what is agreed.

特朗普政府将关税视作一种确保中国坚守已达成协议的有效手段。

The second related to enforcement. The Americans want to be able to decide unilaterally

第二个和执行相关。美国人想要能够单方面决定

if China has broken the terms of any deal and punish it with fresh tariffs, without risking retaliation¹⁴.

如果中国违反了任何协议中的条款，他们可以向中国施加新关税且不用担心遭到报复。

But that would be humiliating for the Chinese.

但是这会让中国蒙羞。

1 candid   

adj.公正的，正直的；坦率的

参考例句：

• I cannot but hope the candid reader will give some allowance for it.我只有希望公正的读者多少包涵一些。
• He is quite candid with his friends.他对朋友相当坦诚。

2 constructive   

adj.建设的，建设性的

参考例句：

• We welcome constructive criticism.我们乐意接受有建设性的批评。
• He is beginning to deal with his anger in a constructive way.他开始用建设性的方法处理自己的怒气。

3 discordant   

adj.不调和的

参考例句：

• Leonato thought they would make a discordant pair.里奥那托认为他们不适宜作夫妻。
• For when we are deeply mournful discordant above all others is the voice of mirth.因为当我们极度悲伤的时候，欢乐的声音会比其他一切声音都更显得不谐调。

4 trickiest   

adj.狡猾的( tricky的最高级 )；（形势、工作等）复杂的；机警的；微妙的

参考例句：

• Many believe this is the trickiest area to navigate. 很多人认为这是最难驾驭的领域。 来自时文部分
• Establishing confidence in a new monetary system was the trickiest part. 建立对新货币体系的信心是其最棘手的部分。 来自互联网

5 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

6 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

7 stringent   

adj.严厉的；令人信服的；银根紧的

参考例句：

• Financiers are calling for a relaxation of these stringent measures.金融家呼吁对这些严厉的措施予以放宽。
• Some of the conditions in the contract are too stringent.合同中有几项条件太苛刻。

8 subsidies   

n.补贴，津贴，补助金( subsidy的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• European agriculture ministers failed to break the deadlock over farm subsidies. 欧洲各国农业部长在农业补贴问题上未能打破僵局。
• Agricultural subsidies absorb about half the EU's income. 农业补贴占去了欧盟收入的大约一半。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 delegation   

n.代表团；派遣

参考例句：

• The statement of our delegation was singularly appropriate to the occasion.我们代表团的声明非常适合时宜。
• We shall inform you of the date of the delegation's arrival.我们将把代表团到达的日期通知你。

10 tariffs   

关税制度； 关税( tariff的名词复数 )； 关税表； （旅馆或饭店等的）收费表； 量刑标准

参考例句：

• British industry was sheltered from foreign competition by protective tariffs. 保护性关税使英国工业免受国际竞争影响。
• The new tariffs have put a stranglehold on trade. 新的关税制对开展贸易极为不利。

11 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

12 thorniest   

adj.多刺的( thorny的最高级 )；有刺的；棘手的；多障碍的

参考例句：

• Paradoxically, the thorniest outstanding issue involves Bolivia. 而荒谬可笑的是，最棘手的国家要事却牵涉到了玻利维亚。 来自互联网

13 leverage   

n.力量，影响；杠杆作用，杠杆的力量

参考例句：

• We'll have to use leverage to move this huge rock.我们不得不借助杠杆之力来移动这块巨石。
• He failed in the project because he could gain no leverage. 因为他没有影响力，他的计划失败了。

14 retaliation   

n.报复，反击

参考例句：

• retaliation against UN workers 对联合国工作人员的报复
• He never said a single word in retaliation. 他从未说过一句反击的话。 来自《简明英汉词典》