2006年VOA标准英语-Stage Set for APEC Meeting Aimed at Breaking Gl

By Luis Ramirez
Hanoi
17 November 2006

Vietnam is preparing to host the summit of leaders of 21 economies of the Asia-Pacific region on Saturday. The meeting will culminate¹ on Sunday with a pledge by leaders to push harder for a deal to liberalize global trade.

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The aim of the two-day Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit is to find ways to break an impasse² in global trade talks deadlocked³ in a dispute over agricultural subsidies⁴ and barriers.

Much of the pressure for a global trade deal is coming from business leaders.

More than 1,000 corporate⁵ executives gathered as part of the APEC forum⁶ on Friday. HSBC President Michael Smith highlighted the growing opportunities that Asia-Pacific economies are yielding.

"These are exciting times in Asia," he said. "As we are all aware, the region is re-emerging economically, led by a rapidly growing China, an eager-to-catch-up India, a recovering Japan, and by robust⁷ economies such as Vietnam."

APEC members account for roughly half of the global GDP (gross domestic product) and include fast-growing economies like China and Vietnam, which has been growing at a rate of more than seven percent a year.

However, leaders also warned of challenges facing the region. Former World Trade Organization head Supachai Panitchpakdi said the Asia-Pacific region - which stretches from China to Chile - also suffers from tremendous inequality between rich nations and poor ones. He called on governments to make concessions⁸ on lowering trade barriers so that the so-called Doha round, a WTO program that aims to lift millions out of poverty through freer trade, can move ahead.

"At this meeting, in spite of the fact that Doha is under threat of failing, I don't think the global community, and not in the least the APEC community, which is so pro-trade, could afford to stand by and let the round go down the drain," said Supachai. 

Chinese President Hu Jintao delivers speech at Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation CEO summit in Hanoi, Friday, Nov. 17, 2006  
  
Chinese leader Hu Jintao addressed the business leaders on Friday, promising⁹ China would do its part to reduce trading obstacles. The Chinese leader pledged to speed up reforms to bring down the trade deficit¹⁰ that China has with several APEC members, including the United States.

The Chinese leader also promised his government would do more to open the Chinese economy further to foreign investment and protect copyrights.

The APEC summit ends Sunday with a declaration that is expected to include a pledge by leaders to break the impasse in global trade negotiations¹¹, as well as a commitment to fight terrorism and deal with climate change, environmental issues, and pandemics like bird flu.

1 culminate   

v.到绝顶，达于极点，达到高潮

参考例句：

• The celebration of the centenary will culminate with a dinner.百年庆典活动将以宴会作为高潮。
• Everyone feared that the boundary dispute between these two countries would culminate in a war.人人都担心,这两国间的边境争端将以一场战争到达顶点。

2 impasse   

n.僵局；死路

参考例句：

• The government had reached an impasse.政府陷入绝境。
• Negotiations seemed to have reached an impasse.谈判似乎已经陷入僵局。

3 deadlocked   

陷入僵局的；僵持不下的

参考例句：

• The plan deadlocked over the funds. 这个计划由于经费问题而搁浅了。
• The meeting deadlocked over the wage issue. 会议因工资问题而停顿下来。

4 subsidies   

n.补贴，津贴，补助金( subsidy的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• European agriculture ministers failed to break the deadlock over farm subsidies. 欧洲各国农业部长在农业补贴问题上未能打破僵局。
• Agricultural subsidies absorb about half the EU's income. 农业补贴占去了欧盟收入的大约一半。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 corporate   

adj.共同的，全体的；公司的，企业的

参考例句：

• This is our corporate responsibility.这是我们共同的责任。
• His corporate's life will be as short as a rabbit's tail.他的公司的寿命是兔子尾巴长不了。

6 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。

7 robust   

adj.强壮的，强健的，粗野的，需要体力的，浓的

参考例句：

• She is too tall and robust.她个子太高，身体太壮。
• China wants to keep growth robust to reduce poverty and avoid job losses,AP commented.美联社评论道，中国希望保持经济强势增长，以减少贫困和失业状况。

8 concessions   

n.（尤指由政府或雇主给予的）特许权( concession的名词复数 )；承认；减价；（在某地的）特许经营权

参考例句：

• The firm will be forced to make concessions if it wants to avoid a strike. 要想避免罢工，公司将不得不作出一些让步。
• The concessions did little to placate the students. 让步根本未能平息学生的愤怒。

9 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

10 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。

11 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。