西部落：中日邦交破冰前夕

China leader on visit to Japan

BBC:Chinese President Hu Jintao is set to begin a five-day state visit to Japan, the first such trip in a decade

This Japanese company makes diggers. One in ten is sold to the Chinese. It expects its sales to China will grow 16-fold within 3 years, such is the pace of Chinese growth. But the boss says Beijing’s influence doesn’t end there.

Countries that produce the resources China needs, like Russia, South Africa, Indonesia and Brazil are using the money they have made to invest in their own infrastructure¹. That helps to increase demand for our machines, so China’s economic growth is hugely important to them and to us.

China became Japan’s largest trading partner last year, overtaking the United States. Cheap Chinese-made goods have lowered prices in the shops here, boosting profits for the firms that sell them. But many in Japan worry that China’s exporting its problems too. Poisoned Chinese dumplings were blamed for a spate² of illnesses recently. Look at these labels making clear where these herbs come from. In this case, Japan. And on this sign up here, reassuring³ people that none of the produce in this cabinet comes from China. Such is the level of concern about safety of Chinese-made products. Shoppers seem skeptical⁴ that enough is being done to protect them. The rowover dumplings is leading some people here to question Japan’s relationship with its powerful neighbor.

China has been the superpower now, I think all the governments are afraid to offend them. But then, you know, you have to worry about domestic, you know, like voters that who has(have) to have their own concerns. So they have to play delicate juggling⁵ act. But nonetheless, you know, people’s health comes first.

Could poisoned dumplings sour this relationship? It’s possible. Both countries' leaders pledged cooperation to find a corporate⁶. But so far, little progress. Tibet is another difficult issue. China’s supporters were out in force when Japan hosted the Olympic torch, urging people here not to interfere⁷.

Hu Jintao’s visit is, was scheduled to be the final stage of improvement of the relationship which became worsened under the time of Koizumi. But we had trouble over the dumpling issue and then of course the Tibet issue. So these have posed us very new difficult challenges.

There are problems, though, the shared history between the two countries presents difficulties that people in Japan and China are unwilling⁸ to put aside.

To me, more difficulty lies in the perception of Chinese people over international order, and they still have a tendency to think the international order in a hierarchical terms, China top and followed by such countries.

Chinese Prime Minister has described his own meetings with Japanese leaders as helping⁹ to break the ice. Now both sides will be hoping the president’s visit will ensure that thaw¹⁰ continues.

Chris Hogg, BBC News, Tokyo.

juggling act: a difficult situation in which you are trying to do several things at the same time

thaw: To become warm enough for snow and ice to melt. If something thaws¹¹ relations between people or if relations thaw, they become friendly again after a period of being unfriendly.

1 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

2 spate   

n.泛滥，洪水，突然的一阵

参考例句：

• Police are investigating a spate of burglaries in the area.警察正在调查这一地区发生的大量盗窃案。
• Refugees crossed the border in full spate.难民大量地越过了边境。

3 reassuring   

a.使人消除恐惧和疑虑的，使人放心的

参考例句：

• He gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. 他轻拍了一下她的肩膀让她放心。
• With a reassuring pat on her arm, he left. 他鼓励地拍了拍她的手臂就离开了。

4 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。

5 juggling   

n. 欺骗, 杂耍(=jugglery) adj. 欺骗的, 欺诈的 动词juggle的现在分词

参考例句：

• He was charged with some dishonest juggling with the accounts. 他被指控用欺骗手段窜改账目。
• The accountant went to prison for juggling his firm's accounts. 会计因涂改公司的帐目而入狱。

6 corporate   

adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的

参考例句：

• This is our corporate responsibility.这是我们共同的责任。
• His corporate's life will be as short as a rabbit's tail.他的公司的寿命是兔子尾巴长不了。

7 interfere   

v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰

参考例句：

• If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。
• When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。

8 unwilling   

adj.不情愿的

参考例句：

• The natives were unwilling to be bent by colonial power.土著居民不愿受殖民势力的摆布。
• His tightfisted employer was unwilling to give him a raise.他那吝啬的雇主不肯给他加薪。

9 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

10 thaw   

v.（使）融化，（使）变得友善；n.融化，缓和

参考例句：

• The snow is beginning to thaw.雪已开始融化。
• The spring thaw caused heavy flooding.春天解冻引起了洪水泛滥。

11 thaws   

n.（足以解冻的）暖和天气( thaw的名词复数 )；（敌对国家之间）关系缓和v.（气候）解冻( thaw的第三人称单数 )；（态度、感情等）缓和；（冰、雪及冷冻食物）溶化；软化

参考例句：

• The sun at noon thaws the ice on the road. 中午的阳光很快把路上的冰融化了。 来自辞典例句
• It thaws in March here. 在此地化雪的季节是三月。 来自辞典例句