英闻天下——24 Chinese Economy Set for Soft-landing?

 　　There has been a lot of discussion here in China this year about the status of the economy, and where China's economic fortunes are headed. As such, today's keywords are "soft landing".

 

　　CRI's Ding Lulu has more.

 

　　"Lowering the GDP growth target is mainly to guide all sectors² to focus their work on transforming the pattern of economic development, raise the quality and to achieve better development lasting³ longer and at a higher level."

 

　　Premier⁴ Wen Jiabao set the economic goal for 2012 at 7.5 percent earlier in the year, a self-imposed slowdown for the structural⁵ adjustment of the economy.

 

　　This is the first time the authorities have set a growth target below 8-percent.

 

　　According to the World Bank's latest report, China's growth is projected to reach 7.9 percent in 2012, the lowest growth rate in the country since 1999.

 

　　Meanwhile, the rise in consumer prices is slowing down.

 

　　The CPI increase has slowed from 4.5 percent in January to 2 percent in November.

 

　　As such, a number of economists⁷ expect that China is headed for a soft landing.

 

　　Anoop Singh is the International Monetary⁸ Fund's director for Asia and the Pacific.

 

　　"China is not having a hard landing and the numbers are clearly recognizing that China will grow this year about seven and three quarter (percent)."

 

　　However, is the rate of growth slow enough to avoid a spike⁹ in inflation?

 

　　Many here in China are not happy with the current price levels.

 

　　Ms. Zhou from Zhejiang keeps a record of her daily shopping throughout the year.

 

　　Her records seem to reflect what's been happening with the CPI here in China in 2012.

 

　　"In the first half of 2012, the price levels were a bit high. But by May and June, prices went down gradually. Take meat for example, it was 16 kuai (for 500 grams), now it is 12 kuai. So the price levels did come down, but for us ordinary people, it's still a little expensive."

 

　　A report from the World Bank says the government's move to cool down the overheating housing sector¹ also slowed China's economy.

 

　　Despite this, new and existing home sales in China's major cities have seen a jump recently.

 

　　As the government moves to shore up growth, questions are being raised as to whether the government will loosen its restrictions¹⁰ on the property market.

 

　　But following the Central Economic Work Conference in December, the government delivered that answer loud and clear, saying the authorities are going to keep their property control policies in place in 2013.

 

　　China's top policymakers say they're committed to deepening economic reforms and maintaining a proactive fiscal¹¹ policy and prudent¹² monetary policy in 2013.

 

　　And while the economic soft-landing is being predicted by many economists, there are those who are warning China is starting to lose its economic advantages.

 

　　China's economy grew 7.4-percent in the 3rd quarter.

 

　　This represents the 7th quarter in a row of slowing economic growth.

 

　　Justin Lin, former World Bank chief economist⁶, says he believes the Chinese economy maintains the potential to grow over 8-percent over the coming 20-years, provided a number of steps are taken.

 

　　"If you want to realize the potential, China needs to do many things. One thing that they need to complete is the transition from a planned economy to a well-functioning market economy. At the same time, the government needs to play the facilitation role, in the process of upgrading technological¹³ innovation."

 

　　For CRI, I'm Ding Lulu.

1 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

2 sectors   

n.部门( sector的名词复数 )；领域；防御地区；扇形

参考例句：

• Berlin was divided into four sectors after the war. 战后柏林分成了4 个区。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Industry and agriculture are the two important sectors of the national economy. 工业和农业是国民经济的两个重要部门。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

3 lasting   

adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持

参考例句：

• The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。
• We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。

4 premier   

adj.首要的；n.总理，首相

参考例句：

• The Irish Premier is paying an official visit to Britain.爱尔兰总理正在对英国进行正式访问。
• He requested that the premier grant him an internview.他要求那位总理接见他一次。

5 structural   

adj.构造的，组织的，建筑（用）的

参考例句：

• The storm caused no structural damage.风暴没有造成建筑结构方面的破坏。
• The North American continent is made up of three great structural entities.北美大陆是由三个构造单元组成的。

6 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。

7 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》

8 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。

9 spike   

n.长钉，钉鞋；v.以大钉钉牢，使...失效

参考例句：

• The spike pierced the receipts and held them in order.那个钉子穿过那些收据并使之按顺序排列。
• They'll do anything to spike the guns of the opposition.他们会使出各种手段来挫败对手。

10 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

11 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。

12 prudent   

adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的

参考例句：

• A prudent traveller never disparages his own country.聪明的旅行者从不贬低自己的国家。
• You must school yourself to be modest and prudent.你要学会谦虚谨慎。

13 technological   

adj.技术的；工艺的

参考例句：

• A successful company must keep up with the pace of technological change.一家成功的公司必须得跟上技术变革的步伐。
• Today,the pace of life is increasing with technological advancements.当今， 随着科技进步，生活节奏不断增快。