2007年VOA标准英语-Economy, Trade Dominate Talks Between ASEAN, Ch

By Douglas Bakshian
Cebu
14 January 2007

ASEAN leaders wave as they pose for a group photo prior to the official opening of the ASEAN summit,  13 Jan 2007

Economic issues and trade took the front seat in bilateral¹ talks between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and China and India. The 10-nation bloc² is expanding business and trade with its two giant neighbors Douglas Bakshian reports from the ASEAN summit in Cebu.

 

Two-way trade between China and ASEAN reached $160 billion in 2006, an increase of more than 23 percent from the previous year.

Chinese premier³ Wen Jiabao, credited the Agreement on Trade in Goods in the China-ASEAN free-trade area, implemented⁴ in 2005, for much of the growth. He said tariffs⁵ on more than 7,000 products from both sides were lowered.

 

ASEAN and China also signed a new deal to open access to each other's markets by liberalizing services in tourism, telecoms, energy and computers. The Chinese leader said the sides should speed up talks on an investment agreement ,as well, to continue the growth.

 

The Chinese leader says his nation welcomes more ASEAN businesses to China, and is encouraging Chinese companies to invest in ASEAN nations. He described relations between the sides as a win-win situation.

 

India, the other economic giant in Asia, is also stepping up its trade with ASEAN. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh says he hopes bilateral trade will surpass a target of $30 billion this year. That trade hit $23 billion in 2005, way up from 1990 when it was about $2 billion.

 

Indian Commerce Minister Kamal Nath says India hopes to complete a free-trade agreement with ASEAN by July of this year, which would accelerate growth. He says greater engagement in the economic area is vital for India and ASEAN.

 

"The mass of economic activity has shifted and is gradually shifting to East Asia, as we see both in terms of competitiveness, both in terms of growth in the manufacturing sector," said Nath. "So it is important that East Asian countries engage with each other in not only greater intensity⁶, but in more creative ways."

 

India also said it wants to begin talks with ASEAN on an open skies policy that would clear the way for increased air traffic.

 

ASEAN is composed of 10 countries of widely varying levels of development and wealth. The group is working to better integrate economically, so that it can better compete with larger economic powers and profit from globalization, rather than be left behind by it.

1 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。

2 bloc   

n.集团；联盟

参考例句：

• A solid bloc of union members support the decision.工会会员团结起来支持该决定。
• There have been growing tensions within the trading bloc.贸易同盟国的关系越来越紧张。

3 premier   

adj.首要的；n.总理，首相

参考例句：

• The Irish Premier is paying an official visit to Britain.爱尔兰总理正在对英国进行正式访问。
• He requested that the premier grant him an internview.他要求那位总理接见他一次。

4 implemented   

v.实现( implement的过去式和过去分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• This agreement, if not implemented, is a mere scrap of paper. 这个协定如不执行只不过是一纸空文。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The economy is in danger of collapse unless far-reaching reforms are implemented. 如果不实施影响深远的改革，经济就面临崩溃的危险。 来自辞典例句

5 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。

6 intensity   

n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度

参考例句：

• I didn't realize the intensity of people's feelings on this issue.我没有意识到这一问题能引起群情激奋。
• The strike is growing in intensity.罢工日益加剧。