2007年VOA标准英语-APEC Business Advisory Council Meets to Finaliz

By Nancy-Amelia Collins
Sydney, Australia
04 September 2007

Representatives from the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Business Advisory¹ Council are holding meetings this week to finalize² their annual report for APEC leaders who will hold a summit on September 8 and 9. VOA's Nancy-Amelia Collins reports from Sydney.

Energy, security, climate change, the World Trade Organization's stalled negotiations³, and investment are all expected to be among the major topics in the annual report of the APEC Business Advisory Council, known as ABAC.

Tim Harcourt, the chief economist⁴ of the Australian Trade Commission, says ABAC plays an important role by informing governments where there are problems.

"The most important thing the business groups can do is to tell the governments where there are logjams, where there are obstacles, where things can improve," Harcourt said. "I think actually ABAC has played a pretty good leadership on that in talking about trade facilitation and basically making sure standards are consistent and harmonious⁵ across the region."

ABAC comprises up to three members of the private sector⁶ of each of the 21 economies that make up APEC. It meets three times a year. It was made a permanent body in 1995 to provide an independent business perspective within APEC.

Members represent a range of business sectors⁷, including medium and small businesses.

ABAC says there is a need for businesses to improve energy efficiency and to encourage conservation practices, and is expected to include this in its annual report.

Harcourt, of the Australian Trade Commission, says the ABAC report will also discuss ways to enhance regional cooperation.

"I reckon they'll talk a little bit about customs and quarantine, a little bit about having consistent security arrangements around the region," Harcourt said. "And I think they'll want a one-stop shop in terms of combining security, immigration, customs, and quarantine together… just to make sure it's more streamlined and provides more certainty."

ABAC is the only non-governmental body that has an official role and formal dialogue with the leaders of the APEC economies. It will present its annual report at the APEC leaders meeting on Saturday.

1 advisory   

adj.劝告的，忠告的，顾问的，提供咨询

参考例句：

• I have worked in an advisory capacity with many hospitals.我曾在多家医院做过顾问工作。
• He was appointed to the advisory committee last month.他上个月获任命为顾问委员会委员。

2 finalize   

v.落实，定下来

参考例句：

• Let us finalize tonight.让我们今天晚上干完
• 。At the same time,industrial designers work with engineers to finalize components and assembly.同时，工业设计师和工程师一道来完成部件和组装部分的工作。

3 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。

4 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。

5 harmonious   

adj.和睦的，调和的，和谐的，协调的

参考例句：

• Their harmonious relationship resulted in part from their similar goals.他们关系融洽的部分原因是他们有着相似的目标。
• The room was painted in harmonious colors.房间油漆得色彩调和。

6 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。

7 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》