经济学人:中美贸易战下的中国广交会(1)

 　　Understanding Donald Trump¹'s intentions has bedevilled China since he took office. 自唐纳德·特朗普上任以来，理解他的意图成了中国的困扰。

　　So it continued this week when the American president made comments that could signal a big escalation² in the two countries' trade war—or that a resolution is near. 这周也一样，当时美国总统发表了评论，这些评论可以是两国贸易战争大升级的信号—或者表示这贸易战争的解决近在咫尺。

　　"I think we'll make a great deal with China," he told Fox News in an interview. “我认为我们将会和中国达成一大笔交易，”在福克斯新闻的一次采访中他说道。

　　But, he added, if talks sputter³, America will impose tariffs⁴ on all goods from China. 但是，他补充到，如果谈判破裂，那么美国将对所有来自中国的商品征收关税。

　　Having already hit $250bn-worth of annual Chinese imports with tariffs, America could target the remaining $267bn. 美国已经对价值2500亿美元的年度中国进口商品征收了关税，它的目标可能是剩下的2670亿美元。

　　A bilateral⁵ meeting between Mr Trump and Xi Jinping, China's president, 特朗普和中国国家主席习近平将在

　　later this month at a G20 summit in Buenos Aires should determine which outcome is more likely. 本月月末于布宜诺斯艾利斯举行的G20峰会上会晤，此次双边会议将决定其结果到底如何。

　　First, though, Mr Xi will be pressing China's case in the court of global opinion. 虽然首先，习主席会在全球舆论审视中强调中国的国情。

　　On November 5th he will open a huge trade show in Shanghai designed to demonstrate to the world that China's prosperity benefits all. 11月5日，他将在上海举行一场大型贸易展览，意图向世界展现中国的繁荣让世界受益。

　　Chinese trade shows have traditionally focused on helping⁶ its exporters to attract foreign customers. 一般中国贸易展览的重点都是帮助本国出口商吸引外国客户。

　　The inaugural⁷ China International Import Expo will instead aim to help foreign companies entice⁸ Chinese buyers. 而中国国际进口博览会将旨在帮助国外公司吸引中国买家。

　　Mr Xi, as well as innumerable Chinese officials and business leaders, will proclaim that China does not seek a trade surplus. 习主席和无数的中国官员及商业领袖将强调中国并不寻求贸易顺差。

　　Yet the expo is also bound to highlight some of the tensions ratcheted up by the trade war. 但博览会还是会使得因贸易战争而逐步升温的一些紧张变得越发显著。

　　The main complaint of the American administration (Mr Trump apart) is not that China runs a trade surplus but that it discriminates⁹ against foreign firms, 美国政府（特朗普除外）的主要抱怨并不是中国的贸易顺差，而是它对外国公司的歧视，

　　for example by pressing them to hand over technology to enter its market. 例如，迫使外国公司交出自己的技术才能进入中国市场。

　　Though many countries are sending official delegations¹⁰ and hosting national pavilions, America's government will be conspicuous¹¹ by its absence. 虽然很多国家都派了官方代表团并主办了国家馆，但美国政府的缺席尤为显眼。

　　In private, its officials say that the trade show will be little use—and that they do not want to be dragged into Chinese propaganda. 在私底下，美国官员表示贸易展览用处不大—并且他们不希望被卷进中国的宣传活动之中。

　　At least publicly, foreign companies are more enthusiastic. 至少在台面上，国外公司更加热情。

　　A large contingent¹² of American bosses will show up, hoping to set their companies apart from the trade hostilities¹³. 美国企业老板的大规模代表团将出席展览，他们希望能让自己的公司免受贸易战的敌意。

　　In all some 2,800 firms will attend, from more than 130 countries. 总共有来自130多个国家的2800家公司将参加展览。

　　There will be big automakers (BMW, Ford¹⁴ and Toyota), food groups (Nestlé, Unilever and Cargill), electronics firms (Samsung, Sony and Qualcomm) and more. 其中将有大型汽车制造商（宝马、福特和丰田），食品集团（雀巢、联合利华以及嘉吉），电子公司（三星、索尼和高通）等等。

　　Since China has provided cheaper exhibition space to developing countries, alongside the multinationals¹⁵ will be spice merchants from Ethiopia, 由于中国为发展中国家提供了成本更低的展览空间，一起出席的跨国公司将是来自埃塞俄比亚的香料商人，

　　fruit producers from Laos and hatmakers from Ecuador. 来自老挝的水果生产商和来自厄瓜多尔的帽子制作商。

1 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。

2 escalation   

n.扩大，增加

参考例句：

• The threat of nuclear escalation remains. 核升级的威胁仍旧存在。 来自辞典例句
• Escalation is thus an aspect of deterrence and of crisis management. 因此逐步升级是威慑和危机处理的一个方面。 来自辞典例句

3 sputter   

n.喷溅声；v.喷溅

参考例句：

• The engine gave a sputter and died.引擎发出一阵劈啪声就熄火了。
• Engines sputtered to life again.发动机噼啪噼啪地重新开动了。

4 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。

5 bilateral   

adj.双方的，两边的，两侧的

参考例句：

• They have been negotiating a bilateral trade deal.他们一直在商谈一项双边贸易协定。
• There was a wide gap between the views of the two statesmen on the bilateral cooperation.对双方合作的问题，两位政治家各自所持的看法差距甚大。

6 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

7 inaugural   

adj.就职的；n.就职典礼

参考例句：

• We listened to the President's inaugural speech on the radio yesterday.昨天我们通过无线电听了总统的就职演说。
• Professor Pearson gave the inaugural lecture in the new lecture theatre.皮尔逊教授在新的阶梯讲堂发表了启用演说。

8 entice   

v.诱骗，引诱，怂恿

参考例句：

• Nothing will entice the children from television.没有任何东西能把孩子们从电视机前诱开。
• I don't see why the English should want to entice us away from our native land.我不明白，为什英国人要引诱我们离开自己的国土。

9 discriminates   

分别，辨别，区分( discriminate的第三人称单数 )； 歧视，有差别地对待

参考例句：

• The new law discriminates against lower-paid workers. 这条新法律歧视低工资的工人。
• One test governs state legislation that discriminates against interstate commerce. 一个检验约束歧视州际商业的州立法。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

10 delegations   

n.代表团( delegation的名词复数 )；委托，委派

参考例句：

• In the past 15 years, China has sent 280 women delegations abroad. 十五年来，中国共派280批妇女代表团出访。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书
• The Sun Ray decision follows the federal pattern of tolerating broad delegations but insisting on safeguards. “阳光”案的判决仿效联邦容许广泛授权的做法，但又坚持保护措施。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法

11 conspicuous   

adj.明眼的，惹人注目的；炫耀的，摆阔气的

参考例句：

• It is conspicuous that smoking is harmful to health.很明显，抽烟对健康有害。
• Its colouring makes it highly conspicuous.它的色彩使它非常惹人注目。

12 contingent   

adj.视条件而定的；n.一组，代表团，分遣队

参考例句：

• The contingent marched in the direction of the Western Hills.队伍朝西山的方向前进。
• Whether or not we arrive on time is contingent on the weather.我们是否按时到达要视天气情况而定。

13 hostilities   

n.战争；敌意(hostility的复数)；敌对状态；战事

参考例句：

• Mexico called for an immediate cessation of hostilities. 墨西哥要求立即停止敌对行动。
• All the old hostilities resurfaced when they met again. 他们再次碰面时，过去的种种敌意又都冒了出来。

14 Ford   

n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过

参考例句：

• They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。
• If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。

15 multinationals   

跨国公司( multinational的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• These local companies are only small fry compared with the huge multinationals. 同那些跨国公司比，这些当地的公司不过是小鱼小虾。
• Some people believe that the multinationals have too much power. 有人认为跨国公司的权力太大了。