VOA慢速英语2015 跨太平洋伙伴关系谈判可能在本周结束

AS IT IS 2015-07-29 Trans Pacific Partnership¹ Talks May End This Week 跨太平洋伙伴关系谈判可能在本周结束

Negotiators are meeting this week in Hawaii to discuss the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP). Trade ministers from around the world will try to settle the remaining issues.

If completed, the Trans Pacific Partnership would reduce tariffs³ and trade rules among the countries involved. Supporters say that would increase economic growth.

Japan, Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore and Australia are among the nations involved in the TPP. The others are New Zealand, Canada, Mexico, Chile, Peru, and the United States. Together, these 12 countries make up about 40 percent of the world economy.  

American opponents to the deal say it would do too little to protect human rights, the environment and U.S. jobs.

Richard Trumka is president of the AFL-CIO labor⁴ organization. In his words, the TPP "is full of stuff that is bad for working people, bad for the environment, bad for food safety."  

Reduced tariffs on imports can increase exchanges and expand economic growth because trade becomes less costly⁵. The TPP new deal cuts rules and laws that make it difficult for goods from one nation to be sold in another.

U.S. critics say making similar labor standards and environmental laws might weaken worker protections in the United States or other nations. Unions worry that weak labor rights protections in some U.S. trading partners would keep production costs low. They also worry that it would encourage companies to move more jobs out of the United States to low-wage nations.

Charles Morrison is president of the East-West center in Hawaii. He said the TPP is a “very complicated negotiation” and the outcome is “far from certain.” Mr. Morrison also said that many nations are pushing for the deal. But he told VOA that even if negotiators reach a deal this week, each nation would still have to approve it. That includes the United States Senate.

He told VOA the deal would likely disappoint some business groups, environmental activists⁶ or others who wish officials had negotiated more. Mr. Morrison also said failing to make a deal would deny consumers in many countries the benefits of cheaper, more efficient trade

Observers say many issues still need to be worked out to reach a deal. The United States and Japan, for example, have had disputes over car parts and rice imports. Other nations have disputed over access to Canadian markets for agricultural products.

Trade ministers are set to hold a press conference on Friday, July 31, to announce the results of the talks in Hawaii.

Words in This Story

tariff² – n. a tax on goods coming into or leaving a country

standard – n. a level of quality, achievement, etc., that is considered acceptable or desirable

encourage -– v. to make (something) more appealing or more likely to happen

disappoint – v. to make (someone) unhappy by not being as good as expected or by not doing something that was hoped for or expected

consumer – n. a person who buys goods and services

cheaper – adj. of lower cost

1 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

2 tariff   

n.关税，税率；(旅馆、饭店等)价目表，收费表

参考例句：

• There is a very high tariff on jewelry.宝石类的关税率很高。
• The government is going to lower the tariff on importing cars.政府打算降低进口汽车的关税。

3 tariffs   

关税制度； 关税( tariff的名词复数 )； 关税表； （旅馆或饭店等的）收费表； 量刑标准

参考例句：

• British industry was sheltered from foreign competition by protective tariffs. 保护性关税使英国工业免受国际竞争影响。
• The new tariffs have put a stranglehold on trade. 新的关税制对开展贸易极为不利。

4 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

5 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

6 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》