VOA慢速英语--英国脱欧会刺激中国竞争大型市场吗?

Can Europe, Brexit Inspire China's Bid for Mega Market?

The Chinese government has a plan to link the cities of Hong Kong, Macau, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Zhongshan, Dongguan, Huizhou, Jiangmen and Zhaoqing into an economic and business powerhouse. It will be called The Greater Bay Area.

Some in China’s central bank are looking to the European Union and Britain to decide how best to do this.

The Greater Bay Area already has a total economy almost equal to Australia’s. But the area is divided because Hong Kong and Macau have their own money and legal systems. This makes integration¹ difficult.

China's central bank’s branch in Shenzhen created a 295-page report on financial and economic integration in the bay. It suggested building a single market similar to the 28-state European Union. The report was written with China Merchants Bank’s chief economist² and published last month.

The report notes some of the benefits of European integration. But it also points to some of the problems China faces as it tries to control an area that already has international financial markets, industrial centers and technology sectors⁴.

In the report, the head of the Shenzhen central bank, Xing Yujing, was clear about the importance of the free movement of people and money in the bay.

The report also pointed⁵ to what could be learned⁶ from Britain’s planned exit from Europe.

The European Union and the common market have strengthened “the welfare of the European people,” the Shenzhen branch of the People’s Bank of China said in a statement.

It added that suggestions do not represent official policy positions.

Britain has made professional decisions to reduce the effects of Brexit while keeping “integration with European economy and finance,” the report also said.

Greater freedom

The European common market permitted the free movement of labor⁷. So should the Greater Bay Area, said Gary Smith. He is a London-based director at Barings Investment⁸ Institute.

“That’s the way that the economic benefit is maximized,” he said.

Europe has removed border controls between 26 of its 28 countries. In the Greater Bay Area, there are still borders between Hong Kong, Macau and mainland⁹ China. This is the result of the “One Country, Two Systems” agreement that permits the two cities to keep their way of life while under Chinese rule.

For a possible solution, Xing noted¹⁰ Britain’s idea of a ‘soft’ border with Ireland after Brexit. The soft border would permit the free movement of people, money and products between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

The report said an electronic border could be put in place in the bay and businesses could pay taxes online after crossing it.

I’m Susan Shand.

Words in This Story

integration – n. to combine (two or more things) to form or create something

benefit – n. a good or helpful result or effect

sector³ – n. a part of an economy that includes certain kinds of jobs

maximize – adj. to use (something) in a way that will get the best result

regulatory – adj. making or concerned with making official rules about what is acceptable in a particular business, activity

1 integration   

n.一体化，联合，结合

参考例句：

• We are working to bring about closer political integration in the EU.我们正在努力实现欧盟內部更加紧密的政治一体化。
• This was the greatest event in the annals of European integration.这是欧洲统一史上最重大的事件。

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 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。

4 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》

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 learned   

adj.有学问的，博学的；learn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He went into a rage when he learned about it.他听到这事后勃然大怒。
• In this little village,he passed for a learned man.在这个小村子里，他被视为有学问的人。

7 labor   

n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦

参考例句：

• We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
• He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后，他已经疲惫不堪了。

8 investment   

n.投资，投资额；(时间、精力等的)投入

参考例句：

• It took two years before I recouped my investment.我用了两年时间才收回投资。
• The success of the project pivots on investment from abroad.这个工程的成功主要依靠外来投资。

9 mainland   

n.大陆，本土

参考例句：

• The new bridge will link the island to the mainland.新的桥梁将把该岛与大陆连接在一起。
• Hong Kong's prosperity relies heavily on mainland.香港的繁荣在很大程度上依赖于大陆。

10 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。