VOA标准英语2010年-China, Southeast Asia Set to Begin Fre

Photo: AP
Trucks transport cargo¹ at a container terminal in the port of Dalian, China, 11 Sep 2009

Economists³ see the start of a free-trade agreement between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations as a crucial spur to Asia's economic growth, at a time when Western economies remain sluggish⁴.

The free-trade pact⁵ between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations brings together a market of 1.9 billion people. Already trade between the two is $200 billion a year, and that is expected to grow.

The deal, signed in 2002, goes into effect on Friday, January 1, creating the world's third largest trade zone behind the European Union and the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Under the pact, tariffs⁷ will be eliminated on about 90 percent of goods traded among China, Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. For the remaining ASEAN states, Burma, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, the tariff⁶ reductions will cone⁸ into effect in 2015.

Nagesh Kumar, chief economist² with the United Nation's Economic and Social Commission in Bangkok, says the agreement will help build the region's economic capacity.

"Agreements such as this China-ASEAN free-trade agreement will help [in] realizing that potential and it is a part of a trend. ASEAN has similar agreements with other large Asian countries, which include Japan, [South] Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand. China was the first one to sign so it the first one to go - but there are others in the pipeline," said Kumar.

Chinese officials say about 7,000 items will have zero tariffs while preferential access will be given for companies from China and ASEAN into service industries such as tourism.

Kiat Sittheeamorn, head of the Thailand Trade Representative Office, says China's strong growth has underpinned⁹ a rapid expansion of trade with Southeast Asia, and this will continue under the trade agreement.
 
"If you look at the trade statistics back five years with China it has been increasing at the rate of at least 30 percent per year. China will continue to play that role, to be an important market, to continue to be an engine of growth for the region, for the whole world," said Kiat Sittheeamorn.

Kiat says there will be industries in ASEAN that face increased competition from China, particularly companies that make consumer goods such as clothes, and car parts. But he says ASEAN businesses should see the pact as an opportunity to boost their ability to compete through new technology and production methods.

China is likely to increase imports of ASEAN raw materials, food and beverages¹⁰ and luxury goods jewelry¹¹.
 

1 cargo   

n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物

参考例句：

• The ship has a cargo of about 200 ton.这条船大约有200吨的货物。
• A lot of people discharged the cargo from a ship.许多人从船上卸下货物。

2 economist   

n.经济学家，经济专家，节俭的人

参考例句：

• He cast a professional economist's eyes on the problem.他以经济学行家的眼光审视这个问题。
• He's an economist who thinks he knows all the answers.他是个经济学家，自以为什么都懂。

3 economists   

n.经济学家，经济专家( economist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
• Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 sluggish   

adj.懒惰的，迟钝的，无精打采的

参考例句：

• This humid heat makes you feel rather sluggish.这种湿热的天气使人感到懒洋洋的。
• Circulation is much more sluggish in the feet than in the hands.脚部的循环比手部的循环缓慢得多。

5 pact   

n.合同，条约，公约，协定

参考例句：

• The two opposition parties made an electoral pact.那两个反对党订了一个有关选举的协定。
• The trade pact between those two countries came to an end.那两国的通商协定宣告结束。

6 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。

7 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。

8 cone   

n.圆锥体，圆锥形东西，球果

参考例句：

• Saw-dust piled up in a great cone.锯屑堆积如山。
• The police have sectioned off part of the road with traffic cone.警察用锥形路标把部分路面分隔开来。

9 underpinned   

v.用砖石结构等从下面支撑（墙等）( underpin的过去式和过去分词 )；加固（墙等）的基础；为（论据、主张等）打下基础；加强

参考例句：

• The report is underpinned by extensive research. 这份报告以广泛的研究为基础。
• The statue of Diana was underpinned with charred piles. Diana雕像是建造在炭化了的木桩上的。 来自辞典例句

10 beverages   

n.饮料( beverage的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• laws governing the sale of alcoholic beverages 控制酒类销售的法规
• regulations governing the sale of alcoholic beverages 含酒精饮料的销售管理条例

11 jewelry   

n.（jewllery）（总称）珠宝

参考例句：

• The burglars walked off with all my jewelry.夜盗偷走了我的全部珠宝。
• Jewelry and lace are mostly feminine belongings.珠宝和花边多数是女性用品。