美国国家公共电台 NPR Stopping Key Tech Exports To China Could Backfire, Researchers And Firms Say

 

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

One of the most raw parts of the U.S. rivalry¹ with China involves the way that China has obtained U.S. technology. And this year, the United States will likely add new restrictions² on the export of certain technologies, a move that is mostly aimed at China. It is meant to help American companies, but it turns out it could also limit the ability of American firms to compete. Here's NPR's Emily Feng.

EMILY FENG, BYLINE³: The cybersecurity firm McAfee, known for its antivirus software, is constantly monitoring the Internet, searching for the next big threat. The company's chief technology officer, Steve Grobman, explains.

STEVE GROBMAN: We actually have a billion sensors⁴ deployed⁵ around the world that allows us to see new threats, track where they go.

FENG: Now McAfee is one of thousands of American technology companies at the frontlines of a global tech rivalry between the U.S. and China. Grobman says the Trump⁶ administration's plans to update export controls, which would restrict U.S. companies from exporting sensitive technologies, could give the bad guys the upper hand.

GROBMAN: They're going to use the best technology that they can get their hands on in order to create the most malicious⁷ capabilities⁸ that would potentially impact our customers.

FENG: Those controls are the most ambitious measures thus far, aimed at shutting down Chinese hackers⁹ and companies stealing technology to get ahead. That theft is a key sticking point in ongoing¹⁰ trade talks between Beijing and Washington to resolve a nearly one-year trade war. In November, the administration sought comment on possible new export controls for emerging and foundational technologies, technologies core to cutting-edge applications. That concerns researchers such as Joanne Kamens.

JOANNE KAMENS: It just slows down science in general for all the people doing good and important discovery research.

FENG: Kamens is executive director of Addgene, a biomedical nonprofit that supports research by sharing material like chromosomal¹¹ DNA¹² worldwide. She warns export controls could hurt this kind of cooperation, cutting the U.S. off from a global research community. That would open the door to China to race ahead.

KAMENS: DNA is a linear sequence of letters. Once the letters are known, anyone in the world could, for money and time, make any one of these things.

FENG: The new proposed controls could even restrict who universities and companies hire. Erin Ennis, the senior vice¹³ president of the U.S.-China Business Council, explains how companies might have to be licensed¹⁴ to pass knowledge of a technology to a foreign citizen.

ERIN ENNIS: Not only is the product that they make covered by an export control, but the employees that they have would be covered by them, as well.

FENG: That's worrying for many tech companies, such as those writing code and working on artificial intelligence. Addgene's Joanne Kamens stresses that modern research almost always crosses international boundaries.

KAMENS: Basic research, which has given rise, of course, to so many important discoveries that have driven all of the cures in the clinic - you know, all of that work is done collaboratively with scientists between countries.

FENG: Instead, cybersecurity analysts¹⁵ like New America's Samm Sacks advocate a small yard, high fence approach - restricting the sale of specific technologies with military applications but leaving everything else accessible.

SAMM SACKS: Because tools like export controls, these kinds of things were meant to be used as scalpels but not as blunt instruments.

FENG: Sometime this summer, the U.S. Commerce Department will release a second proposed export controls list for foundational technologies. American tech companies who submitted comments hope the Commerce Department will narrow down what is restricted. So far, they haven't heard back. Emily Feng, NPR News.

(SOUNDBITE OF EL JAZZY CHAVO'S "ONE FOR THE WAITRESS")

1 rivalry   

n.竞争，竞赛，对抗

参考例句：

• The quarrel originated in rivalry between the two families.这次争吵是两家不和引起的。
• He had a lot of rivalry with his brothers and sisters.他和兄弟姐妹间经常较劲。

2 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

3 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

4 sensors   

n.传感器，灵敏元件( sensor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There were more than 2000 sensors here. 这里装有两千多个灵敏元件。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Significant changes have been noted where sensors were exposed to trichloride. 当传感器暴露在三氯化物中时，有很大变化。 来自辞典例句

5 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

6 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

7 malicious   

adj.有恶意的，心怀恶意的

参考例句：

• You ought to kick back at such malicious slander. 你应当反击这种恶毒的污蔑。
• Their talk was slightly malicious.他们的谈话有点儿心怀不轨。

8 capabilities   

n.能力( capability的名词复数 )；可能；容量；[复数]潜在能力

参考例句：

• He was somewhat pompous and had a high opinion of his own capabilities. 他有点自大，自视甚高。 来自辞典例句
• Some programmers use tabs to break complex product capabilities into smaller chunks. 一些程序员认为，标签可以将复杂的功能分为每个窗格一组简单的功能。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

9 hackers   

n.计算机迷( hacker的名词复数 )；私自存取或篡改电脑资料者，电脑“黑客”

参考例句：

• They think of viruses that infect an organization from the outside.They envision hackers breaking into their information vaults. 他们考虑来自外部的感染公司的病毒，他们设想黑客侵入到信息宝库中。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Arranging a meeting with the hackers took weeks againoff-again email exchanges. 通过几星期电子邮件往来安排见面，他们最终同意了。 来自互联网

10 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

11 chromosomal   

adj.染色体的

参考例句：

• Like mRNA, both tRNA and rRNA are transcripts of chromosomal DNA. tRNA及rRNA同mRNA一样，都是染色体DNA的转录产物。 来自辞典例句
• In mammalian species, a variety of chromosomal rearrangements are known to exist. 在哺乳类的物种中，已知有许多类型的染色体内部重新排列。 来自辞典例句

12 DNA   

(缩)deoxyribonucleic acid 脱氧核糖核酸

参考例句：

• DNA is stored in the nucleus of a cell.脱氧核糖核酸储存于细胞的细胞核里。
• Gene mutations are alterations in the DNA code.基因突变是指DNA密码的改变。

13 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

14 licensed   

adj.得到许可的v.许可，颁发执照(license的过去式和过去分词)

参考例句：

• The new drug has not yet been licensed in the US. 这种新药尚未在美国获得许可。
• Is that gun licensed? 那支枪有持枪执照吗？

15 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。