纽约时报 贸易僵局引中国对美投资锐减(4)

The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States,

先前，外国投资委员会

which previously¹ only had the authority to review transactions in which a foreign investor² took a controlling stake of an American business,

只有权利审查取得了美国企业控股权地位的外国投资商的交易情况，

is now reviewing a broader range of transactions,

如今，该委员会可审查的交易范围已经扩展，

including joint³ ventures and smaller investments by foreigners in American businesses that make critical technology.

合资企业和外国投资方对制造关键技术的美国企业所做的小规模投资也进入了他们的审查范围。

“There’s certainly a degree of hesitation⁴ in China in investing in the U.S.,”

“中国对在美国投资产生了犹疑，这是肯定的，”

said Aimen Mir, the former assistant secretary for investment security at the Treasury⁵ Department

曾任美国财政部投资安全事务副助理部长，

who recently joined the law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer.

但不久前已经加入富尔德律师事务所的艾蒙·N·米尔说道。

“It’s hard to argue against the fact that these rules have clearly had some impact on Chinese investment.”

“这些规定对中国投资显然是有一定影响的，这是无可争辩的事实。”

Weaker Chinese investment is unlikely to derail the United States economy,

尽管如此，美国经济因为中国投资减少而脱轨的可能性不大，

as it is a small fraction of that from Britain, Canada, Japan and Germany.

因为跟英国、加拿大、日本和德国的投资相比，中国的投资显得微不足道。

China also continues to be largest buyer of United States Treasuries⁶;

中国也还是美国国债的最大买家；

however, its holdings have fallen in recent years to $1.1 trillion, according to the latest Treasury Department data.

然而，财政部发布的最新数据显示，近年来，其持有量已缩减至1.1万亿美元。

But the decline in investment could hurt areas that are already economically disadvantaged

不过，中国投资的减少可能殃及到经济落后地区，

and that have become dependent on Chinese cash.

以及已经对中国资金产生依赖的地区。

States like Michigan have increasingly wooed Chinese investment,

密歇根等州一直在大力吸引中国投资，

resulting in new factories and jobs in a part of the country that has struggled to recover from the Great Recession.

这些一直难以走出经济大萧条阴影的地区才得以建起新工厂，创造大量的就业机会。

Craig Allen, the president of the U.S.-China Business Council,

美中贸易全国委员会主席克雷格·艾伦表示，

said the loss of Chinese investment would be felt predominantly in rural states

受中国投资流失影响最大的将是农村地区，

where Chinese investors⁷ have bought factories and revived struggling businesses.

因为中国投资商在那些地区购置了工厂，那些原本艰难挣扎的企业才得以复苏。

“The not-so-welcome mat is out, and it is having a deleterious effect on relatively⁸ poorer areas in the United States that need jobs,” he said.

“不欢迎门垫已经铺开，已经给相对贫穷，需要就业的地区造成了不良影响，”他说。

“The Chinese hear from our state and local officials that they’re welcome,” Mr. Allen said.

“中国人从我们各州官员和地方官员嘴里听到的是他们是受欢迎的，”艾伦说。

“What they’re hearing from federal officials is quite different.”

“但他们从联邦官员嘴里听到的却大相径庭。”

In Kentucky’s Ballard County, local officials are grateful

肯塔基州巴拉德县的当地官员就很感激

that China’s Shanying International Holdings acquired a closed paper mill last year.

中国的山鹰国际控股在去年收购他们一家关停的造纸厂。

In May, the mill reopened and filled many of the 300 jobs that had been lost.

今年5月，这家工厂已经重新开业，先前损失的300个就业岗位的一大部分也得以恢复。

Mayor Brandi Harless of Paducah, Ky., who traveled to China to meet executives of the company this year,

肯塔基州帕迪尤卡市市长布兰迪·哈利斯今年曾前往中国与山鹰的高管会面，

said that it would be a shame if trade tensions hampered⁹ manufacturing investments in towns such as hers.

她表示，如果紧张的贸易关系阻碍了中国在类似像她的市那样的地方的制造业投资，那将太可惜了。

“Given our national conversation, I expected there to be some hesitancy,” Ms. Harless said.

“鉴于全国上下讨论如此热烈，我原本以为大家对山鹰的投资会有些迟疑，”哈利斯说。

“But I haven’t heard anyone in our community be negative about this opportunity.”

“但就我所在的社区而言，我还未听到任何人对这次机遇持负面态度。”

1 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

2 investor   

n.投资者，投资人

参考例句：

• My nephew is a cautious investor.我侄子是个小心谨慎的投资者。
• The investor believes that his investment will pay off handsomely soon.这个投资者相信他的投资不久会有相当大的收益。

3 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

4 hesitation   

n.犹豫，踌躇

参考例句：

• After a long hesitation, he told the truth at last.踌躇了半天，他终于直说了。
• There was a certain hesitation in her manner.她的态度有些犹豫不决。

5 treasury   

n.宝库；国库，金库；文库

参考例句：

• The Treasury was opposed in principle to the proposals.财政部原则上反对这些提案。
• This book is a treasury of useful information.这本书是有价值的信息宝库。

6 treasuries   

n.（政府的）财政部( treasury的名词复数 )；国库，金库

参考例句：

• Yields on Treasuries, Bunds and gilts can remain at historically low levels. 美国国债、德国国债和英国国债的收益率仍然可以维持在历史低位。 来自互联网
• Treasuries and gold rose in response but the dollar fell sharply. 接着，国债和黄金的价格上涨，而美元价格则猛跌。 来自互联网

7 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

8 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

9 hampered   

妨碍，束缚，限制( hamper的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The search was hampered by appalling weather conditions. 恶劣的天气妨碍了搜寻工作。
• So thought every harassed, hampered, respectable boy in St. Petersburg. 圣彼德堡镇的那些受折磨、受拘束的体面孩子们个个都是这么想的。