VOA标准英语2018--Working With EU on Trade

 

What President Donald Trump¹ called a “breakthrough” on trade occurred when European Commission President Jean-Claude Junker sat down with Mr. Trump at the White House for a discussion that has eased tensions between the world's two largest trading partners.

On July 25 the two leaders agreed to work together toward eliminating tariffs² and other trade barriers on all industrial goods other than cars. They also promised to work to reduce barriers and increase trade in services, chemicals, pharmaceuticals³ and medical products, as well as soybeans.

In addition, the two leaders pledged greater strategic cooperation on energy, with the European Union seeking to expand its imports of liquefied natural gas from the United States in order to help diversify⁴ its energy supply.

At a news conference after their meeting, President Trump outlined these areas of accord and noted⁵ too that that the two men agreed to launch a dialogue on standards, in order to increase trade across all product sectors⁶, and to reduce bureaucratic⁷ obstacles to trade. And they agreed to work with like-minded partners, including by reforming the World Trade Organization, to address unfair trading practices, including intellectual property theft, forced technology transfer, industrial subsidies⁸, distortions created by state-owned enterprises, and overcapacity.

President Trump noted that the general outline of what was agreed to by the United States and the EU is a commitment to move toward three zeros: zero tariffs, zero non-tariff trade barriers, and zero subsidies. The idea is to level the playing field.

President Trump characterized the meeting as the start of “a new phase in the relationship between the United States and the European Union –- a phase of close friendship; of strong trade relations in which both of us will win; of working better toward global security and prosperity.”

With a 1 trillion dollar bilateral⁹ trade relationship, the U.S. and the EU have the largest economic relationship anywhere in the world, President Trump noted. “We want to further this trade relationship to the benefit of all American and European citizens.”

1 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

2 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。

3 pharmaceuticals   

n.医药品；药物( pharmaceutical的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• the development of new pharmaceuticals 新药的开发
• The companies are pouring trillions of yen into biotechnology research,especially for pharmaceuticals and new seeds. 这些公司将大量资金投入生物工艺学研究，尤其是药品和新种子方面。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 diversify   

v.（使）不同，（使）变得多样化

参考例句：

• Our company is trying to diversify.我们公司正力图往多样化方面发展。
• Hills and woods diversify the landscape.山陵和树木点缀景色。

5 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。

6 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》

7 bureaucratic   

adj.官僚的，繁文缛节的

参考例句：

• The sweat of labour washed away his bureaucratic airs.劳动的汗水冲掉了他身上的官气。
• In this company you have to go through complex bureaucratic procedures just to get a new pencil.在这个公司里即使是领一支新铅笔，也必须通过繁琐的手续。

8 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》

9 bilateral   

adj.双方的，两边的，两侧的

参考例句：

• They have been negotiating a bilateral trade deal.他们一直在商谈一项双边贸易协定。
• There was a wide gap between the views of the two statesmen on the bilateral cooperation.对双方合作的问题，两位政治家各自所持的看法差距甚大。