PBS高端访谈:墨西哥总统将与特朗普在华盛顿会见

 　　ALISON STEWART, PBS NEWSHOUR WEEKEND ANCHOR: President Trump¹ said today that he will begin to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement when he meets with the leaders of Canada and Mexico. Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto will be coming to Washington on January 31st. Pena Nieto says he wants an open dialogue with Mr. Trump who's vowed² to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border and make Mexico pay for it.

　　For more analysis of this meeting, I am joined by Skype from Mexico City by "Washington Post" reporter Josh Partlow.

　　So, Josh, what is the biggest issue facing the Mexican people as these two presidents meet?

　　JOSH PARTLOW, WASHINGTON POST: I think the biggest issue that will affect most Mexicans is the trade issue. You know, President Trump has said he's going to scrap³ the North American Free Trade Agreement or NAFTA, and for Mexicans, that's a huge deal. The economic changes that have happened here over the past two decades have been pretty extreme and that's something they don't want to lose.

　　So, I think the wall while it may have a more symbolic⁴ or — symbolic impact, the trade issues are really the ones that strike fear into the heart of the government here.

　　STEWART: Let's talk about that Mexican wall that Mr. Trump says he's going to build and claims he is going to get Mexican pay for it. Where has the Mexican president come down on this?

　　PARTLOW: They've been really clear all along that they're not going to pay for the wall. That's one thing they have been consistent with. The Mexican government has said that over and over, and that Mexican President Pena Nieto had said that over and over, including just a couple of days ago.

　　So, that's something that I don't think at least — you know, I don't think that's going to change.

　　墨西哥总统将与特朗普在华盛顿会见

　　STEWART: Pena Nieto's approval rating has been in a downward spiral, at least at 12 percent by one account. How much of that has to do with how he's handled things at home, and how much of that has to do with how he's handled Mr. Trump thus far?

　　PARTLOW: How he's handled Mr. Trump has definitely given his approval ratings another kick downwards⁵. I mean, he hasn't been popular here for a couple of years. There have been a lot of scandals here in Mexico during his administration, which has lasted about four years now. The economy is not doing very well. And he's not very popular. He has not been popular for a long time.

　　But the Trump visit, particularly in August, was a big deal for a lot of Mexicans. President Pena Nieto invited Donald Trump to come visit while he was still a candidate. And they stood side-by-side and it was seen by many here as something that legitimized Donald Trump's campaign, even after Trump had said numerous insults against Mexicans. So, that was seen — that was something that really was unpopular for a lot of Mexicans.

　　STEWART: Mexico's foreign minister said this about Mexico's position in this negotiation⁶ about trade, that Mexico will negotiate with, quote, "great self-confidence, without fear, knowing the economic, social, and political importance that Mexico has for the United States." That framing is very different than what we've been hearing. Is there truth in that, that we're so intertwined, that Mexico can come to these trade negotiations⁷ from a power — a position of power in some ways?

　　PARTLOW: Yes, I think it there is definitely truth that the two economies are extremely interconnected. There is something like $500 billion of trade each year, back and forth⁸, between the two countries. But, you know, it's also clear that Mexico is the weaker partner here. And they have a lot more to lose than the United States does.

　　I don't think they have no leverage⁹. They can impose tariffs¹⁰ on American goods, coming too Mexico just as easily as the United States can do that to Mexican exports going to the United States.

　　STEWART: Joining us from Mexico City, Josh Partlow from the "Washington Post" — thank you.

　　PARTLOW: Thank you.

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 vowed   

起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
• I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。

3 scrap   

n.碎片；废料；v.废弃，报废

参考例句：

• A man comes round regularly collecting scrap.有个男人定时来收废品。
• Sell that car for scrap.把那辆汽车当残品卖了吧。

4 symbolic   

adj.象征性的，符号的，象征主义的

参考例句：

• It is symbolic of the fighting spirit of modern womanhood.它象征着现代妇女的战斗精神。
• The Christian ceremony of baptism is a symbolic act.基督教的洗礼仪式是一种象征性的做法。

5 downwards   

adj./adv.向下的（地），下行的（地）

参考例句：

• He lay face downwards on his bed.他脸向下伏在床上。
• As the river flows downwards,it widens.这条河愈到下游愈宽。

6 negotiation   

n.谈判，协商

参考例句：

• They closed the deal in sugar after a week of negotiation.经过一星期的谈判，他们的食糖生意成交了。
• The negotiation dragged on until July.谈判一直拖到7月份。

7 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。

8 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

9 leverage   

n.力量，影响；杠杆作用，杠杆的力量

参考例句：

• We'll have to use leverage to move this huge rock.我们不得不借助杠杆之力来移动这块巨石。
• He failed in the project because he could gain no leverage. 因为他没有影响力，他的计划失败了。

10 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。