VOA标准英语2013--Japan Joins Asia-Americas Trade Talks

 

Japan Joins Asia-Americas Trade Talks

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says the Trans-Pacific Partnership¹ (TPP) is a framework for future prosperity in the Asia Pacific.

"Our participation² is not just for the benefit of Japan's economy, but rather, for Japan and our allies and the United States to create a new economic sphere," he said.

Japan is joining ongoing³ trade talks between the United States, Canada, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Peru, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Singapore.

Most noticeably absent from that group is China, which is already concerned about expanding U.S. commercial, diplomatic, and military influence in the region.

Washington understands China's concerns and is working hard to present the Trans-Pacific Partnership as a trade deal, says Cato Institute analyst⁴ Justin Logan.

"It's also very, very much about the rebalancing. It's very, very much about China. It's very, very much about creating a group of countries who get together and talk and have shared perceptions of shared difficulties," said Logan.

Territorial⁵ claims

Especially difficulties in the South China Sea, where Vietnam, China, Brunei, and Malaysia have competing territorial claims. 

"When you sign trade deals, a lot of the time it isn't about trade," said American University professor Pek Koon Heng. "It's about political partnership. So Vietnam sees the TPP as doing both things and putting the Americans next to the Vietnamese in dealing⁶ with the Chinese."

Heng says the trade talks help soften⁷ the so-called U.S. "pivot⁸" to Asia.

"There is concern that the pivot is just putting too much focus on the military dimension of what the U.S. wants to do. And so TPP is a necessary and much-welcome and very important dimension of the rebalance," she said.

China

U.S. officials say China is welcome to join the trade deal if it meets political and economic requirements. Instead, China is turning inward, according to U.S. business leader Calman Cohen.

"China seems to be closing its economy rather than further opening its economy," said Cohen. He adds that Chinese subsidies⁹ discourage greater trade.

"If there is not a reversal in course by China, it will not get the level of investment that it has over recent years, and you will see a second guessing by companies around the world whether they should place so much emphasis on the China market," he said.

But domestic concerns are also a challenge for Prime Minister Abe's push to join the trade pact¹⁰ - as he moves to reduce protections for Japanese agricultural and textile firms. 

1 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

2 participation   

n.参与，参加，分享

参考例句：

• Some of the magic tricks called for audience participation.有些魔术要求有观众的参与。
• The scheme aims to encourage increased participation in sporting activities.这个方案旨在鼓励大众更多地参与体育活动。

3 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

4 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

5 territorial   

adj.领土的，领地的

参考例句：

• The country is fighting to preserve its territorial integrity.该国在为保持领土的完整而进行斗争。
• They were not allowed to fish in our territorial waters.不允许他们在我国领海捕鱼。

6 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

7 soften   

v.(使)变柔软；(使)变柔和

参考例句：

• Plastics will soften when exposed to heat.塑料适当加热就可以软化。
• This special cream will help to soften up our skin.这种特殊的护肤霜有助于使皮肤变得柔软。

8 pivot   

v.在枢轴上转动；装枢轴，枢轴；adj.枢轴的

参考例句：

• She is the central pivot of creation and represents the feminine aspect in all things.她是创造的中心枢轴，表现出万物的女性面貌。
• If a spring is present,the hand wheel will pivot on the spring.如果有弹簧，手轮的枢轴会装在弹簧上。

9 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》

10 pact   

n.合同，条约，公约，协定

参考例句：

• The two opposition parties made an electoral pact.那两个反对党订了一个有关选举的协定。
• The trade pact between those two countries came to an end.那两国的通商协定宣告结束。