美国、日本、法国敦促企业减少对中国的依赖

US, Japan, France Urge Companies to Depend Less on China

The United States, Japan and France are urging their businesses to depend less on China to make smartphones, drugs and many other products.

But few companies appear to want to leave China's skilled workforce¹ and suppliers of unprocessed materials to move to other countries.

Too much dependence² on China leaves global companies open to costly³ problems during major world crises. The spread of the new coronavirus is one example. Also, the U.S. and China have been locked in a trade war for several years. Both countries have raised taxes on the goods they exchange.

Drug makers⁴ are one group that is trying to reduce dependence on Chinese suppliers. The industry is establishing sources of unprocessed materials in the U.S. and Europe. But the medical device, consumer electronics and other industries are continuing to depend on China.

Harley Seyedin is the president of the American Chamber⁵ of Commerce in South China. He told the Associated Press: "I don't know of a single company right now that is moving ahead with any plans to move."

China's rise as the world's low-cost factory has helped to lower costs for consumers and increased many companies' profits. But it has fueled political tension over lost American and European manufacturing jobs. Governments and industry experts worry dependence on China can be a threat to supply chains and national security.

Chinese factories put together most of the world's smartphones and consumer electronics. They produce a growing share of medical equipment, industrial robots and other high technology goods. The country also is a leading supplier of vitamin C and ingredients for antibiotics⁶ and other medicines.

The ruling Communist Party has spent 20 years building ports, train stations, communication networks and other systems.

"China still offers an unparalleled supply chain for any industry," said Jit Lim of Alvarez & Marsal, a business advising service.

Philip Richardson manufactures sound equipment in Panyu, near Hong Kong. He said he has considered Vietnam and other countries. But he said while worker pay there might be 40 percent lower, the savings⁷ will be used up by the cost of losing his network of Chinese suppliers.

"We gave it consideration for about a minute, and it doesn't make sense," said Richardson, who has worked in China for 22 years.

Countries seek new supply chains

In Japan, the government considers China a direct competitor. So Japan is offering $2 billion to companies that move production to the country in a virus aid program announced in April. It has also offered $220 million to Japanese companies in China if they move to other countries.

The U.S.-China trade dispute has created concern about China's leading position as a supplier of active pharmaceutical⁸ ingredients, or APIs. These are the substances used to make drugs and vitamins. Some American experts warn China might withhold⁹ APIs.

In May, the U.S. government gave a contract worth up to $812 million over 10 years to the Phlow Corp. The Virginia-based company is working to protect against drug shortages by producing necessary ingredients.

Drugmaker Sanofi is also creating an API supplier to reduce dependence on China. Sanofi said the company will be the second biggest global producer, with yearly sales of over $1 billion by 2022.

India and Indonesia also have announced plans to increase their own production of unprocessed drug ingredients. But Sakshi Sikka of the market research company Fitch Solutions said those changes are politically driven and will increase costs. China's position as a top supplier, he said, is unlikely to change soon.

Companies also increasingly are trying to sell to China's 1.3 billion consumers at a time when spending growth in Western countries is low. Makers of cars and higher-value goods are spending billions of dollars to expand Chinese production. For example, German carmaker Volkswagen said in May it would spend $2.2 billion to buy control of Chinese electric vehicle and vehicle parts producers.

Instead of manufacturing for export from China, some companies are planning to sell within the country. "Now a lot of people are producing ‘local for local,'" said Jit Lim.

I'm Pete Musto.

Words in This Story

global –adj. involving the entire world

source –n. someone or something that provides what is wanted or needed

consumer –n. a person who buys goods and services

supply chain –n. the series of processes involved in the production and distribution of a given good or service

ingredient –n. one of the things that are used to make a food or product

unparalleled – adj. not found elsewhere

1 workforce   

n.劳动大军，劳动力

参考例句：

• A large part of the workforce is employed in agriculture.劳动人口中一大部分受雇于农业。
• A quarter of the local workforce is unemployed.本地劳动力中有四分之一失业。

2 dependence   

n.依靠，依赖；信任，信赖；隶属

参考例句：

• Doctors keep trying to break her dependence of the drug.医生们尽力使她戒除毒瘾。
• He was freed from financial dependence on his parents.他在经济上摆脱了对父母的依赖。

3 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。

4 makers   

n.制造者，制造商（maker的复数形式）

参考例句：

• The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
• The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

6 antibiotics   

n.（用作复数）抗生素；（用作单数）抗生物质的研究；抗生素，抗菌素( antibiotic的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• the discovery of antibiotics in the 20th century 20世纪抗生素的发现
• The doctor gave me a prescription for antibiotics. 医生给我开了抗生素。

7 savings   

n.存款，储蓄

参考例句：

• I can't afford the vacation,for it would eat up my savings.我度不起假，那样会把我的积蓄用光的。
• By this time he had used up all his savings.到这时，他的存款已全部用完。

8 pharmaceutical   

adj.药学的，药物的；药用的，药剂师的

参考例句：

• She has donated money to establish a pharmaceutical laboratory.她捐款成立了一个药剂实验室。
• We are engaged in a legal tussle with a large pharmaceutical company.我们正同一家大制药公司闹法律纠纷。

9 withhold   

v.拒绝，不给；使停止，阻挡

参考例句：

• It was unscrupulous of their lawyer to withhold evidence.他们的律师隐瞒证据是不道德的。
• I couldn't withhold giving some loose to my indignation.我忍不住要发泄一点我的愤怒。