voa标准英语2008年-Bush in Peru for APEC Summit; Meets with China'

U.S. President George Bush is in Peru for his final Pacific Rim¹ summit. After his arrival Friday, Mr. Bush met with Chinese President Hu Jintao in Lima ahead of the two-day Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, which opens Saturday. VOA White House Correspondent Paula Wolfson reports this is expected to be Mr. Bush's last foreign trip before leaving office.
　

President Bush (left) with Chinese President Hu in Peru at APEC summit, 21 Nov 2008

President Bush attended his first Pacific Rim summit just two months after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States.

Now, with the nation in the midst of a financial crisis, he is making his last appearance at the 21-nation Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum².

White House aides say the president will urge APEC to endorse³ steps already being taken to boost the global economy. They indicate he will likely focus on the need to expand trade worldwide and open markets.

Charles Freeman is a former U.S. trade official. He says even though Mr. Bush has little time left in office, his words can have an impact at the forum.

"Well, I mean, words count," Freeman said. "So I think what the leadership says about trade liberalization is very important. And standing⁴ up for that is key."

The Pacific Rim countries account for about half of the world's trade and population. And the number of bilateral⁵ and free trade agreements between and among APEC members has soared in recent years.

APEC is not a formal organization or a negotiating body, but a venue⁶ for leaders to come together to exchange thoughts and ideas. And while it does not have the clout⁷ of the Group of 20 leading industrialized and emerging economies, it is an instrument of dialog in a key region of the world.

Steven Schrage, an expert on international business and trade at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, says the Pacific Rim is vitally important.

"You've got 60 percent of U.S. exports, 60 percent of world GDP [i.e., gross domestic product]. I believe it is over 50 percent of world trade, three billion consumers - so there is a critical mass of world leaders here with some of the most advanced and important economies," Schrage said.

The APEC forum also gives Pacific Rim leaders a chance to hold numerous one-on-one meetings on the sidelines. President Bush, for example, is expected to confer with the leaders of China, Russia, South Korea, Japan and host Peru.

While it will be an opportunity to say his farewells, aides say Mr. Bush has a full agenda for these meetings. They say he wants to discuss North Korea's nuclear ambitions with others involved in the negotiating process with Pyongyang. And they say he wants to discuss Georgia and a proposed missile defense⁸ system for Europe with Russian President Dmitri Medvedev.

1 rim   

n.(圆物的)边，轮缘；边界

参考例句：

• The water was even with the rim of the basin.盆里的水与盆边平齐了。
• She looked at him over the rim of her glass.她的目光越过玻璃杯的边沿看着他。

2 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。

3 endorse   

vt.(支票、汇票等)背书，背署；批注；同意

参考例句：

• No one is foolish enough to endorse it.没有哪个人会傻得赞成它。
• I fully endorse your opinions on this subject.我完全拥护你对此课题的主张。

4 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

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 venue   

n.犯罪地点，审判地，管辖地，发生地点，集合地点

参考例句：

• The hall provided a venue for weddings and other functions.大厅给婚礼和其他社会活动提供了场所。
• The chosen venue caused great controversy among the people.人们就审判地点的问题产生了极大的争议。

7 clout   

n.用手猛击；权力，影响力

参考例句：

• The queen may have privilege but she has no real political clout.女王有特权，但无真正的政治影响力。
• He gave the little boy a clout on the head.他在那小男孩的头部打了一下。

8 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。