President Barack Obama is facing an early decision on trade policy, one that could anger key members of his Democratic Party, or spark a trade war with some of America's closest allies. In a few weeks Mr. Obama is to travel to Canada, where officials are warning of disastrous consequences if the United States embraces protectionism.
美国总统奥巴马需要就其贸易政策尽快做出决定，这个政策可能激怒他所在的民主党内的一些重要成员，或者会在美国和它的一些密切盟友之间引发贸易战。奥巴马将在近几个星期内访问加拿大。加拿大官员警告说，如果美国采取保护主义政策将会引发灾难性的后果。
Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed an economic recovery plan that could signal where U.S. trade policy is headed as the Obama administration works hand-in-hand with a Democratic Party controlled Congress. Both the House and Senate versions of the bill stipulate American-made steel and other products be used for public-works projects designed to stimulate the economy.
美国众议院上个星期通过了一个经济复苏计划。在奥巴马政府与在国会占主导地位的民主党携手工作之际，这个计划可能显示出美国将采取什么样的贸易政策。参众两院的提案版本都规定在针对刺激经济所规划的公共工程项目中要使用美国制造的钢材和其他产品。
Canada and other U.S. trading partners are crying foul.
加拿大和美国其他的贸易伙伴都表示，这是违反规则的。
White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs has been non-committal on the so-called "Buy America" provision.
白宫新闻发言人吉布斯表示，白宫还没有就所谓的“购买美国货”条款做出决定。
"The administration will review that particular provision and will make a determination on that," said Robert Gibbs.
他说，“政府将对特殊条款加以审视，并将会就其做出决定。”
The mandate to utilize domestic products has the backing of U.S. labor unions that vigorously supported Mr. Obama in last year's presidential election. It is also defended by Obama allies in Congress, like Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown.
使用国内产品的命令受到美国工会的支持。这些工会在去年的总统选举中曾经给奥巴马以大力支持。它同样得到奥巴马在国会中的同盟，例如俄亥俄参议员布朗等人的支持。
"To do the stimulus package in the maximum job-creation way, we ought to be using American-made materials," said Brown. "That means Ohio steel. That means concrete, cement, and other materials that are made in this country."
布朗说，“要使刺激计划在最大程度上创造工作机会，我们需要使用美国制造的材料，那就是说使用俄亥俄的钢材，就是说使用美国制造的混凝土、水泥、和其他材料。”
But some foreign officials are warning the provision would spark complaints against the United States at the World Trade Organization - and possible retaliation against U.S. exports. Canada's Parliamentary Secretary for International Trade, Gerald Keddy, says the mandate would violate the North American Free Trade Agreement between the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
但是，一些外国官员警告说，这样的条款会在世界贸易组织引发针对美国的申诉，并可能引发针对美国出口产品的报复性手段。加拿大国际贸易部长议会秘书基迪说，这个指令将违反美国、加拿大和墨西哥间签署的北美自由贸易协定。
"We do expect the Americans to live up to their international trading obligations," said Keddy.
他说，“我们希望美国遵从它在国际贸易中的责任。”
In Ontario, where much Canadian industry is based, provincial Premier Dalton McGuinty says a trade war would benefit no one, and that the only way to get through a global recession is for nations to support one another.
在加拿大工业重地安大略省，省长麦坚迪表示，贸易战对谁都没有好处，而度过国际性衰退的唯一方式就是国家间的相互帮助。
U.S. business groups agree. While some labor unions have called domestic opposition to the "Buy America" provision "economic treason", the U.S. Chamber of Commerce says preserving free trade is "economic patriotism". It warns against what it sees as rising protectionist sentiment in the United States and elsewhere, noting that trade barriers contributed to the Great Depression of the 1930s.
美国商业团体对此表示同意。虽然一些工会把反对“购买美国货”条款称作是“经济叛国”，美国商会却表示，维护自由贸易是“经济爱国主义”。美国商会对在美国和其他国家不断膨胀的保护主义情绪提出了警告，并指出贸易壁垒是1930年代大萧条的诱因之一。
President Obama has yet to speak in detail on trade matters since assuming office.
奥巴马总统就职以来还没有就贸易问题的细节发表意见。
As a candidate, he was criticized for sending mixed messages. During the hard-fought primary season, Mr. Obama pledged to renegotiate NAFTA, and often struck populist themes on the campaign trail, as he did a year ago in Wisconsin.
在竞选总统时，他被批评发出含混不清的信息。在竞争激烈的初选期间，奥巴马承诺说要就北美洲自由贸易协定进行重新谈判，并且时常在竞选途中触及迎合公众的话题。他一年前在威斯康辛这样说。
"I did not just start criticizing unfair trade deals like NAFTA because I started running for president," said Barack Obama. "I do it because I see what happens to communities when factories close down and the jobs move overseas."
“我不是因为要竞选总统才开始批评象北美自由贸易协定这样的不平等协议。我这样做是因为我看到当工厂倒闭、工作流失到海外时我们的社区所受到的影响。”
After securing the Democratic presidential nomination, however, Mr. Obama seemed to moderate his stance.
但是，当奥巴马在确定获得民主党总统提名后在这个方面的立场看起来有所缓和。
"I believe in trade," he said. "I think trade can grow our economy and improve the lives of ordinary people."
他说：“我相信贸易。我认为贸易会促进我们的经济，改善普通民众的生活。”
Since becoming president, Mr. Obama has made no mention of renegotiating NAFTA, and administration officials show no appetite for a trade war with Canada, America's largest trading partner, or any other nation. Quite the contrary, Press Secretary Gibbs says the international community must work together to fix the global economy.
奥巴马就任总统后，还没有提到过要就北美自由贸易协定重新进行谈判，而且其政府官员也没有表现出想和加拿大这个美国最大的贸易伙伴或者其他任何国家打贸易战的意愿。相反的是，白宫发言人吉布斯表示，国际社会必须携手修复全球经济。
But Democratic congressional proponents of "Buy America" are not backing down, making for what could be delicate negotiations between the White House and Capitol Hill as the economic recovery package moves through Congress.
但是，民主党在国会中推动“购买美国货”的力量并没有退却，这使得经济复苏计划被送到国会的时候，白宫和国会山之间可能需要进行细致的商谈。
Canadian officials say they hope to secure a waiver for Canadian products if the provision becomes law.
加拿大官员说，如果这个条款成为法律，他们希望能保证对加拿大产品做出豁免。
President Obama travels to Ottawa February 19.
奥巴马总统将于2月19号前往渥太华访问。 |