2007年VOA标准英语-US Corporations Eye More Vietnam Investments

By Matt Steinglass
Hanoi
04 May 2007

Executives from eighteen major U.S. corporations are in Vietnam, meeting with senior government officials at a conference sponsored by the US-ASEAN Business Council. As Matt Steinglass reports from Hanoi, they are looking for ways to take advantage of Vietnam's recent entry into the World Trade Organization.

billboards1 advertising2 for US shipping3 company, Federal Express and Boeing aircraft (file)" hspace="2" src="http://www.wwenglish.com/up/2007/05/17976/4.jpg" width="210" vspace="2" border="0" />

Vietnamese farmers work field under giant billboards advertising for US shipping company, Federal Express and Boeing aircraft (file)

Attending the meetings are some of the biggest names in American business, including Ford⁴, Boeing, General Electric, and Exxon. They met with Vietnam's minister of investment and trade and its information minister, among others.

The United States granted Vietnam permanent normal trade relations in October, and the country joined the World Trade Organization in January. Since then, it has seen $3.5 billion in new foreign investment pledges, an increase of more than 50 percent from last year.

IBM's vice⁵ president for governmental operations, Stephen Braim, said the company plans major expansions in software development and services in Vietnam.

"We're talking about managing major transformational projects that happen both in Vietnam and around the world," he said. "For a country like Vietnam, with the skills base they have and what we're trying to attract here, we are looking more at the high-value-added services: the applications maintenance services, the development services, building of web portals, building of back-office operations."

Braim said Vietnam's accession to the WTO was key to IBM's optimism. As one of the terms of its membership, the country removed almost all trade barriers for computers.

"For us, the big win was in computer and related services. And we got that, and we're very, very happy with it," he admitted.

Express mail company UPS said the WTO agreement will eventually allow it to operate directly in Vietnam, rather than through local partners, as under current law.

But UPS Vice President Steven Okun said Vietnam must still improve both its inadequate⁶ highways and sometimes outdated⁷ regulations.

"Every shipment that comes into Vietnam you have to pay duties and tariffs⁸ on. It slows down the process," he said.

The garment industry was not represented at the meeting. As part of last year's trade agreement the U.S. declared it would monitor for dumping of garments at below-cost prices, and might impose retroactive tariffs.

U.S. clothing retailers⁹ say the uncertainty¹⁰ is driving them to other countries. Virginia Foote is president of the US-Vietnam Trade Council.

"I think there is some concern that the garment industry has been hurt in Vietnam by the US government action," she said. "There was great hope for growth in the garment and apparel industry in Vietnam. Is that growth going to be realized, or is it going to be postponed¹¹?"

The garment industry was one shadow on an otherwise bright picture. With Vietnam's economy growing at over eight percent a year, U.S. businesses appear eager to join the action.

1 billboards   

n.广告牌( billboard的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Large billboards have disfigured the scenery. 大型告示板已破坏了景色。 来自辞典例句
• Then, put the logo in magazines and on billboards without telling anyone what it means. 接着我们把这个商标刊在杂志和广告看板上，却不跟任何人透漏它的涵意。 来自常春藤生活英语杂志-2006年4月号

2 advertising   

n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的

参考例句：

• Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
• The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。

3 shipping   

n.船运（发货，运输，乘船）

参考例句：

• We struck a bargain with an American shipping firm.我们和一家美国船运公司谈成了一笔生意。
• There's a shipping charge of ￡5 added to the price.价格之外另加五英镑运输费。

4 Ford   

n.浅滩，水浅可涉处；v.涉水，涉过

参考例句：

• They were guarding the bridge,so we forded the river.他们驻守在那座桥上，所以我们只能涉水过河。
• If you decide to ford a stream,be extremely careful.如果已决定要涉过小溪，必须极度小心。

5 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

6 inadequate   

adj.(for,to)不充足的，不适当的

参考例句：

• The supply is inadequate to meet the demand.供不应求。
• She was inadequate to the demands that were made on her.她还无力满足对她提出的各项要求。

7 outdated   

adj.旧式的，落伍的，过时的；v.使过时

参考例句：

• That list of addresses is outdated,many have changed.那个通讯录已经没用了，许多地址已经改了。
• Many of us conform to the outdated customs laid down by our forebears.我们许多人都遵循祖先立下的过时习俗。

8 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。

9 retailers   

零售商，零售店( retailer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• High street retailers reported a marked increase in sales before Christmas. 商业街的零售商报告说圣诞节前销售量显著提高。
• Retailers have a statutory duty to provide goods suitable for their purpose. 零售商有为他们提供符合要求的货品的法定义务。

10 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。

11 postponed   

vt.& vi.延期，缓办，（使）延迟vt.把…放在次要地位；[语]把…放在后面（或句尾）vi.（疟疾等）延缓发作（或复发）

参考例句：

• The trial was postponed indefinitely. 审讯无限期延迟。
• The game has already been postponed three times. 这场比赛已经三度延期了。