VOA慢速英语2012 Economics Report - Meeting Highlights Economic 'Dynamism' of Southeast Asia

 

Economics Report - Meeting Highlights Economic 'Dynamism' of Southeast Asia

This is the VOA Special English Economics Report.

The World Economic Forum¹ is an independent organization. Its aim is to help businesses, governments and civil society find ways to work together to improve the world.

This year, the twenty-first World Economic Forum on East Asia is taking place in Thailand. Organizers hope to bring attention to development in Southeast Asia. 

But the presence of Burmese opposition² leader and parliament member Aung San Suu Kyi has made the event special. The Nobel Prize winner made her first foreign trip in over twenty years to the Thai capital, Bangkok. Burmese President Thein Sein cancelled his appearance at the meeting shortly after her travel plans were announced. Earlier, she also recorded a message for the forum.

AUNG SAN SUU KYI: “I have the honor and privilege of addressing this gathering³ of thinkers and doers, movers and shakers, in positions to influence the direction that our world will take in the foreseeable future.”

Klaus Schwab started what came to be called the World Economic Forum and is its executive chairman. In opening comments, he praised the growing influence of Southeast Asian nations in the world economy and political issues.

KLAUS SCHWAB: “When you look at the ASEAN region, you feel that here you have a region which is full of dynamism, which has economic growth of over five percent and which becomes more and more a crucial factor in the world economic and world political context.”

Several government leaders were in Bangkok for the meeting. They include Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Vietnam’s Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

The forum is meant to discuss issues affecting the ten members of ASEAN, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. In a speech, the Thai prime minister noted⁴ threats like the debt crisis in Europe and climate change. But she also pointed⁵ to technological⁶ progress, democratic reforms and new centers of economic growth as signs of hope.

ASEAN nations are becoming increasingly important in the world economy. As a group, their economic activity is nearing two trillion dollars. Southeast Asian economies are expected to grow more than five percent this year. That rate is higher than Europe or North America.

World Trade Organization Director-General Pascal Lamy is also attending the meetings. He said Southeast Asia is doing better than other areas now. But he warned a slowing world economy could create problems. 

PASCAL LAMY: "I would expect, given what's happening in other parts of the world economy, (for) this region to be more affected⁷ in two, three years to come than it has been so far."

And that's the VOA Special English Economics Report. I'm Mario Ritter.

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Contributing: Daniel Schearf

1 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

2 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

3 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

4 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

5 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

6 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。

7 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。