2018年CRI Business leaders express support for free trade at Boao

 

Business leaders have shared their views on free trade at the Boao Forum¹ for Asia, where trade tensions between China and the US continue to come under the spotlight².

Our reporter Yang Chengxi has more:

Chinese President Xi Jinping expressed strong opposition³ to protectionism, and reaffirmed China's support for free trade at the opening ceremony of the Boao Forum. That commitment to globalization is a sentiment shared by many companies here.

David Cruickshank, Global Chairman of financial services firm Deloitte has this to say:

"The lower trade barriers are, the more companies trade, the better off everybody is, companies and citizens."

For the past decade, China continued to pivot⁵ from trade-propelled growth towards domestic consumption. Chinese officials have downplayed the impact of the proposed US tariffs⁶ on China, and maintained the country's growth rate projection⁷.

David Cruickshank says:

"The Chinese economy is opening up. Structural⁸ reform continues and President Xi Jinping made that clear. Obviously, there is a lot of debate about some of the trade issues at the moment, but I think the long-term trajectory⁹ I see is still being very positive. And China's role in the world is still very positive."

According to the US Bureau of Economic Analysis, from 2010 to 2015, the Chinese market made up a third of all sales revenue growth for US companies' overseas branches. For those American firms that have deep roots in China, a good economic relationship between China and the US is important.

Zhang Jiantao, Vice⁴ President of Coca-Cola Greater China, South Korea and Mongolia says this:

"Trade is all about globalization. I haven't seen anybody who can fix a trade problem through disputes, through a trade war. So, we definitely as a business look forward to seeing how we can mitigate¹⁰ that and find a way out."

In one of the discussion sessions on Tuesday, participants talked about the structural challenges to the US economy. Some say protectionism measures cannot fix the USA's problems. It's the wrong prescription¹¹ for the economy's chronic¹² symptoms.

For CRI, this is Yang Chengxi, Boao, Hainan Province.

1 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

2 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

3 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

4 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

5 pivot   

v.在枢轴上转动；装枢轴，枢轴；adj.枢轴的

参考例句：

• She is the central pivot of creation and represents the feminine aspect in all things.她是创造的中心枢轴，表现出万物的女性面貌。
• If a spring is present,the hand wheel will pivot on the spring.如果有弹簧，手轮的枢轴会装在弹簧上。

6 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。

7 projection   

n.发射，计划，突出部分

参考例句：

• Projection takes place with a minimum of awareness or conscious control.投射在最少的知觉或意识控制下发生。
• The projection of increases in number of house-holds is correct.对户数增加的推算是正确的。

8 structural   

adj.构造的，组织的，建筑（用）的

参考例句：

• The storm caused no structural damage.风暴没有造成建筑结构方面的破坏。
• The North American continent is made up of three great structural entities.北美大陆是由三个构造单元组成的。

9 trajectory   

n.弹道，轨道

参考例句：

• It is not difficult to sketch the subsequent trajectory.很容易描绘出它们最终的轨迹。
• The path followed by a projectile is called its trajectory.抛物体所循的路径称为它的轨道。

10 mitigate   

vt.（使）减轻，（使）缓和

参考例句：

• The government is trying to mitigate the effects of inflation.政府正试图缓和通货膨胀的影响。
• Governments should endeavour to mitigate distress.政府应努力缓解贫困问题。

11 prescription   

n.处方，开药；指示，规定

参考例句：

• The physician made a prescription against sea- sickness for him.医生给他开了个治晕船的药方。
• The drug is available on prescription only.这种药只能凭处方购买。

12 chronic   

adj.(疾病)长期未愈的，慢性的；极坏的

参考例句：

• Famine differs from chronic malnutrition.饥荒不同于慢性营养不良。
• Chronic poisoning may lead to death from inanition.慢性中毒也可能由虚弱导致死亡。