历史英雄名人演讲 第92期:中国与WTO:十五年的渴望

 　　4. China and the WTO: the 15-year Itch¹

　　4. 中国与WTO：十五年的渴望

　　I have spent much of my time this morning talking about the implications of an agreement which became official on the 11th of December 2001. I also briefly² mentioned another history-making agreement that was signed on the 28th of February 1972.

　　今天早上我已经花了很多时间谈论从2001年12月11日开始正式生效的WTO协议所带来的影响。我也简单提到了另一个在1972年2月28日签订的具有历史意义的协议。

　　In fact, there are a number of striking similarities between China's entry into the WTO and the signing of the Shanghai Communique.

　　实际上，中国加入WTO和中美上海公报的签订这两者之间有许多相似之处。

　　Both agreements changed the world significantly. Both agreements set the stage for increased contact... economic and otherwise. And both agreements also came after some considerable negotiation³.

　　这两个协议都显著地改变了整个世界，它们都标志着逐步增加接触的开始…包括经济的，还有其他方面的。同样的，这两个协议也都是多次谈判的成果。

　　At the outset of the 1972 talks, Dr. Kissinger reportedly told his Chinese hosts: "The good thing about our relationship is that we want nothing from each other."

　　据报道，在1972年对话的开始，基辛格博士就对中国的东道主说：“我们之间的关系之中有一点很好，就是我们都不想从对方那里获得什么。”

　　Chairman Mao is said to have promptly⁴ disagreed, noting: "If I had wanted nothing from you, I wouldn't have invited you. And if you wanted nothing from me, you shouldn't have come."

　　据说毛主席立刻反对说：“如果我什么都不想从你们那里得到，我就不会邀请你们。如采你们什么都不想从我们这里得到，你们也就不会来了。”

　　Similar sentiments apply to the WTO agreement. If China did not have something to gain, it would not have joined the WTO. Nor would it have made, as some observers suggest, commitments that are far more reaching than any previous membership applicant⁵ has. Likewise, foreign companies would not be flocking to and expanding their operations in China if they thought there was nothing to gain. Nor if they thought there were no profits to be made.

　　同样的感觉也适用于WTO协议。如果中国不想获得什么，就不会加入WTO。正如一些观察家所指出的，它也就不会做出比任何以往的成员申请国影响更深远的承诺。同样的，如采外国公司认为什么都得不到，也就不会蜂拥到中国来扩展他们的业务。如果他们认为无利可图，同样也不会这样做。

　　In closing, let me make one final observation about Hong Kong and the impact of China's entry into the WTO.

　　在结束之前，我想最后再评述一下关于香港的情况和中国加入WTO的影响。

　　I know and I think all of you would agree that Hong Kong is well positioned to play a significant role in the post-entry period. And I know that the people of Hong Kong have the capacity and the capability⁶ to respond to new challenges. Simply put, I know that if New York is the city that never sleeps, then Hong Kong is the city that never stagnates⁷.

　　我知道，而且我相信各位都同意这一点，香港处于有利的位置，可以在中国入世后扮演重要的角色。我也知道，我知道香港人有能力应对新的挑战。简单地说，我知道如果纽约是不眠的城市，那么香港就是从不停滞的城市。

1 itch   

n.痒，渴望，疥癣；vi.发痒，渴望

参考例句：

• Shylock has an itch for money.夏洛克渴望发财。
• He had an itch on his back.他背部发痒。

2 briefly   

adv.简单地，简短地

参考例句：

• I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
• He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。

3 negotiation   

n.谈判，协商

参考例句：

• They closed the deal in sugar after a week of negotiation.经过一星期的谈判，他们的食糖生意成交了。
• The negotiation dragged on until July.谈判一直拖到7月份。

4 promptly   

adv.及时地，敏捷地

参考例句：

• He paid the money back promptly.他立即还了钱。
• She promptly seized the opportunity his absence gave her.她立即抓住了因他不在场给她创造的机会。

5 applicant   

n.申请人，求职者，请求者

参考例句：

• He was the hundredth applicant for the job. 他是第100个申请这项工作的人。
• In my estimation, the applicant is well qualified for this job. 据我看, 这位应征者完全具备这项工作的条件。

6 capability   

n.能力；才能；(pl)可发展的能力或特性等

参考例句：

• She has the capability to become a very fine actress.她有潜力成为杰出演员。
• Organizing a whole department is beyond his capability.组织整个部门是他能力以外的事。

7 stagnates   

v.停滞，不流动，不发展( stagnate的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The water stagnates in the ditch. 水在沟中停滞而变浊。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Consequently, income per capita stagnates. 其结果，人均国民收入停滞不前。 来自辞典例句