VOA标准英语2011-Vietnam’s Communist Party Picks New Lea

Vietnam's ruling Communist Party has picked new leaders at a meeting in the capital Hanoi. Analysts¹ say despite concerns about economic instability there were no surprises and the current Prime Minister, Nguyen Tan Dung, looks set to retain his job. But the leaders will need to rein² in inflation or risk future growth.

Vietnam's Communist Party Congress ended Wednesday with the announcement of its top leaders.

The party's central committee re-elected Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung to the Politburo. Despite the country's economic problems, he is widely expected to be re-appointed to another term as prime minister later this year.

However, the central committee placed two of his rivals for the top spot high up in the Politburo membership, an indication, some political analysts say, of the party's attempt to balance the prime minister's power.

Carl Thayer, an expert on Vietnam at Australia's Defense³ Force Academy, says the reshuffling went largely as expected.

"It's a system that always seeks out the middle ground and doesn't move to extremes," Thayer said. "It always moves gradually and cautiously. So, I think that's what we're seeing here. It's business as usual and it's people that we know. And it will take a while for even the newcomers on the Politburo to really assert themselves. It's a culture where seniority matters so that will carry on in importance."

Thayer says once re-appointed, Prime Minister Dung is likely to continue his policy of funding big state projects such as a high-speed train.

He came under criticism last year when a heavily indebted state-owned ship builder defaulted on an international loan, driving down Vietnam's credit rating.

Vietnam is a one-party state and the party congress, aside from choosing leaders, sets out a five-year plan for the country. About 1,400 delegates gathered in Hanoi over the past week for the party. The congress met as Vietnam, despite its fast growth, faces serious macroeconomic problems, including a growing trade deficit⁴ and rapid inflation.

Jonathan Pincus is an economist⁵ with the Harvard-Vietnam Program in Hanoi. He says global pressure on consumer prices is expected to grow this year making it all the more important for Vietnam to control its fiscal⁶ and monetary⁷ policy.

"I don't think that requires a massive change in policy," said Pincus. "I think to re-establish stability simply would require a more conservative fiscal policy, in other words, reducing the government's fiscal deficit. And, very close attention to monetary policy to make sure that credit growth stays within the limits set by government so that prices don't get out of control."

After two decades of central control, Vietnam's economy has been gradually liberalized. But some large state companies still depend on government hand-outs.

When Vietnam opened up to market forces and the global economy, private businesses became the driving force of annual growth that has averaged about 7 percent over the past 20 years.

At the congress, the Communist Party for first time voted to admit private business owners as members, a recognition of their importance to the economy.

But state-owned enterprises are still at the core of major industries, such as energy and telecommunications. Some economists⁸ say they are inefficient⁹ monopolies that drain state funds.

Le Dang Doanh is a retired¹⁰ advisor¹¹ to the government on economic issues. He says the big state companies' inefficiency¹² is the overwhelming problem with Vietnam's economy.

"Vietnam needs to reform strongly in order to overcome the macroeconomic instability and also to mobilize the potential resources," Le Dang said. "If Vietnam could implement¹³ needed reform the economy will continue to grow. If not, Vietnam will face multiple challenges."

The party congress expressed concerns about the economy but also optimism that the imbalances can be brought under control.

Le Dang Doanh says the delegates are overly optimistic about the situation and that Vietnam needs to balance experienced leaders with younger, reform-minded ones to better face new challenges as it expands in the global market.

1 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

2 rein   

n.疆绳，统治，支配；vt.以僵绳控制，统治

参考例句：

• The horse answered to the slightest pull on the rein.只要缰绳轻轻一拉,马就作出反应。
• He never drew rein for a moment till he reached the river.他一刻不停地一直跑到河边。

3 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

4 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。

5 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。

6 fiscal   

adj.财政的，会计的，国库的，国库岁入的

参考例句：

• The increase of taxation is an important fiscal policy.增税是一项重要的财政政策。
• The government has two basic strategies of fiscal policy available.政府有两个可行的财政政策基本战略。

7 monetary   

adj.货币的，钱的；通货的；金融的；财政的

参考例句：

• The monetary system of some countries used to be based on gold.过去有些国家的货币制度是金本位制的。
• Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。

8 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》

9 inefficient   

adj.效率低的，无效的

参考例句：

• The inefficient operation cost the firm a lot of money.低效率的运作使该公司损失了许多钱。
• Their communication systems are inefficient in the extreme.他们的通讯系统效率非常差。

10 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

11 advisor   

n.顾问，指导老师，劝告者

参考例句：

• They employed me as an advisor.他们聘请我当顾问。
• The professor is engaged as a technical advisor.这位教授被聘请为技术顾问。

12 inefficiency   

n.无效率，无能；无效率事例

参考例句：

• Conflict between management and workers makes for inefficiency in the workplace. 资方与工人之间的冲突使得工厂生产效率很低。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• This type of inefficiency arises because workers and management are ill-equipped. 出现此种低效率是因为工人与管理层都能力不足。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。