哥斯达黎加希望中国帮忙填补财政赤字

 　　Despite China’s faltering¹ growth, Costa Rica is looking to Beijing to help it plug a growing hole in its public accounts, as it starts talks on the sale of a $1bn bond.

　　尽管中国经济增长乏力，但哥斯达黎加还是希望中国帮助填补其不断扩大的财政赤字。目前，哥斯达黎加正就发行10亿美元债券事宜与中方展开商谈。

　　Commodities producers in Latin America have long seen China as a deep-pocketed ally, and Costa Rica will be hoping it can emulate² Venezuela and Ecuador, which have both secured Chinese funding this year as they battle the oil price crash.

　　长期以来，拉美大宗商品生产国一直把中国视为资金雄厚的盟友，哥斯达黎加希望自己可以效仿委内瑞拉和厄瓜多尔，后两个国家都在今年应对油价暴跌之时获得了中方的资金。

　　“We’re in the initial stages of negotiations,” Costa Rican president Luis Guillermo Solís told the Financial Times in New York. He acknowledged, however, it was “not the best time for China”.

　　“我们正处于谈判的初始阶段，”哥斯达黎加总统路易斯吉列尔莫∠利斯(Luis Guillermo Solis)在纽约告诉英国《金融时报》。不过，他承认，现在“对中国而言并非最佳时机”。

　　Costa Rica’s ties with China have deepened since 2007, when the Latin American nation severed³ ties with Taiwan and established relations with Beijing. Beijing rewarded that decision by buying $300m in bonds at a preferential 2 per cent interest rate. Costa Rica's sovereign debt was cut to junk status last year, and the new bond would again have a favourable⁴ rate.

　　2007年以来，哥斯达黎加与中国的关系一直在加深。那一年，这个拉美国家切断了与台湾的关系，并与北京方面建立了外交关系。作为对这一决定的回报，北京方面以2%的优惠利率购买了3亿美元哥斯达黎加国债。去年，哥斯达黎加主权债券评级被下调至垃圾级，此次新发行的债券将再次提供优惠利率。

　　Mr Pacheco, speaking by telephone from San José, said a proposal had been submitted to the Chinese and he hoped for a reply within six weeks as “2016 is just around the corner and we’d like to have the funds to start the year”.

　　哥斯达黎加代理财政部长何塞弗朗西斯科帕切科(Jose Francisco Pacheco)在圣何塞接受电话采访时表示，哥斯达黎加已向中国提交一项方案，他希望中方在六周内作出答复，因为“2016年即将到来，我们希望能在年初时获得资金”。

　　Mr Solís, who was seeking to drum up investment, referred to China “a strategic partner”. Beijing is building a key highway linking the capital with a $1bn container port at Puerto Moín to double capacity for the world’s top pineapple exporter. Mr Solís visited Beijing this year and the two nations agreed to set up a special economic area in Costa Rica for Chinese investment and to “promote a growing Chinese presence in the region”.

　　索利斯正竭力招揽投资，他把中国称作哥斯达黎加的“战略合作伙伴”。中国正在哥斯达黎加修建一条重要的高速公路，将把该国首都圣何塞与莫因港(Puerto Moín)价值10亿美元的集装箱港口连接起来，令这个全球最大菠萝出口国的出口能力提高一倍。索利斯今年曾访问中国，两国同意在哥斯达黎加设立一个面向中方投资的特别经济区，并“推动中国增强在该地区的影响力”。

1 faltering   

犹豫的，支吾的，蹒跚的

参考例句：

• The economy shows no signs of faltering. 经济没有衰退的迹象。
• I canfeel my legs faltering. 我感到我的腿在颤抖。

2 emulate   

v.努力赶上或超越，与…竞争；效仿

参考例句：

• You must work hard to emulate your sister.你必须努力工作，赶上你姐姐。
• You must look at the film and try to emulate his behavior.你们必须观看这部电影，并尽力模仿他的动作。

3 severed   

v.切断，断绝( sever的过去式和过去分词 )；断，裂

参考例句：

• The doctor said I'd severed a vessel in my leg. 医生说我割断了腿上的一根血管。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• We have severed diplomatic relations with that country. 我们与那个国家断绝了外交关系。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 favourable   

adj.赞成的，称赞的，有利的，良好的，顺利的

参考例句：

• The company will lend you money on very favourable terms.这家公司将以非常优惠的条件借钱给你。
• We found that most people are favourable to the idea.我们发现大多数人同意这个意见。