美国有线新闻 CNN 特朗普被曝欲对钢铝征收最严厉进口关税

 

AZUZ: There's a challenging decision ahead of the Trump¹ administration when it comes to steel and aluminum². Both of these metals are important to the U.S. economy. They're in everything from cars to dishwashers, pipelines³ to soda⁴ cans.

America uses 100 million tons of steel every year and five and a half million tons of aluminum. A third of that steel is imported from other countries. Ninety percent of aluminum is. That's not good for American middle manufacturers who've had to close some plants because of cheaper imports.

But will President Trump impose new tariffs⁵, taxes on steel and aluminum that's imported? He has until April to decide on recommendations from the U.S. Commerce Department. But while American manufacturers could benefit from tariffs on imported metal, they could cause prices to rise on American metal and everything it's used for.

One country that tariffs could target is China.

MATT RIVERS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: So, if tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from China to the U.S. are in fact enacted⁶, how will China respond?

That's the big question many here in China are asking, after the latest news out of the White House.

U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross made his suggestions in three basic options. Number one, impose across-the-board tariffs on steel and aluminum from all countries. Two, select targeted countries with even higher tariffs. Or three, limit the total steel and aluminum coming into the United States overall.

All three of those would have major effects on Chinese imports and perhaps signal that the Trump administration is, in fact, more willing to actually carry out tougher trade measures in policy, more like the kind of rhetoric⁷ we heard from then candidate Trump on the 2016 campaign trail where he regularly accused China of stealing U.S. jobs while not playing by international rules.

Now, the president has largely shied away from challenging Beijing economically since taking office. So far, not much of a response from China because we are smack⁸ dab⁹ in the middle of the Chinese New Year holidays, so government offices have been closed and will remain so for a few days now.

We did see a brief article from state media outlet¹⁰ Xinhua, though. They quoted a senior official named Wang Hejun at the commerce ministry¹¹ here, saying, quote: If the United States' final decision affects China's interests, we will take necessary measures to defend our what, rights.

Nothing more specific than that though.

It is worth noting that there is wide agreement among economists¹² that China has sold steel at unfairly low prices in the U.S. for years because of cheap production costs here domestically and hundreds of US sanctions have helped reduce steel imports already. China is now no longer among the top steel importers to the United States.

Now, the president has until mid-April to decide what kind of action to take in regards to potential tariffs, if any action at all. But if he does decide to act, you can absolutely expect China to respond.

Analysts¹³ and industry representatives that we've spoken to here in China over the last several months or so say there is broad concern that Beijing will target major U.S. industries and companies that rally on access to Chinese markets. Think Boeing and their airplanes or the soybean industry that exports billions of dollars of product to China each year. Restricting access to Chinese customers could seriously hurt U.S. companies in the short and long term.

1 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

2 aluminum   

n.(aluminium)铝

参考例句：

• The aluminum sheets cannot be too much thicker than 0.04 inches.铝板厚度不能超过0.04英寸。
• During the launch phase,it would ride in a protective aluminum shell.在发射阶段，它盛在一只保护的铝壳里。

3 pipelines   

管道( pipeline的名词复数 )； 输油管道； 在考虑（或规划、准备） 中； 在酿中

参考例句：

• The oil is carried to the oil refinery by pipelines. 石油通过输油管输送到炼油厂。
• The oil carried in pipelines. 石油用管道输送。

4 soda   

n.苏打水；汽水

参考例句：

• She doesn't enjoy drinking chocolate soda.她不喜欢喝巧克力汽水。
• I will freshen your drink with more soda and ice cubes.我给你的饮料重加一些苏打水和冰块。

5 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。

6 enacted   

制定（法律），通过（法案）( enact的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• legislation enacted by parliament 由议会通过的法律
• Outside in the little lobby another scene was begin enacted. 外面的小休息室里又是另一番景象。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

7 rhetoric   

n.修辞学，浮夸之言语

参考例句：

• Do you know something about rhetoric?你懂点修辞学吗？
• Behind all the rhetoric,his relations with the army are dangerously poised.在冠冕堂皇的言辞背后，他和军队的关系岌岌可危。

8 smack   

vt.拍，打，掴；咂嘴；vi.含有…意味；n.拍

参考例句：

• She gave him a smack on the face.她打了他一个嘴巴。
• I gave the fly a smack with the magazine.我用杂志拍了一下苍蝇。

9 dab   

v.轻触，轻拍，轻涂；n.(颜料等的)轻涂

参考例句：

• She returned wearing a dab of rouge on each cheekbone.她回来时，两边面颊上涂有一点淡淡的胭脂。
• She gave me a dab of potatoes with my supper.她给我晚饭时，还给了一点土豆。

10 outlet   

n.出口/路；销路；批发商店；通风口；发泄

参考例句：

• The outlet of a water pipe was blocked.水管的出水口堵住了。
• Running is a good outlet for his energy.跑步是他发泄过剩精力的好方法。

11 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

12 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》

13 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。