每周一词第121期— 中美贸易争端
Word of the Week---China-US Trade disputes/ Trade war
【词义解析 Definition】
中美贸易争端指在国际贸易中，中国与美国之间在进行贸易往来的过程中，在贸易平衡上所产生的影响，例如中国对美国的轮胎出口会影响到美国国内轮胎企业而导致两国之间的矛盾发生。
中美贸易争端一直不断，2003年至2005年末，由美国单方面挑起的一系列贸易摩擦给中美贸易关系蒙上了浓重的阴影，贸易大战似乎一触即发，中美两国进入了前所未有的贸易摩擦期。中美贸易摩擦作为中美经贸关系的一部分随中美政治关系的发展和国际局势的变幻而发生变化。2018年，特朗普政府不顾中方劝阻，执意发动贸易战，掀起了又一轮的中美贸易争端。
贸易争端主要发生在两个方面：一是中国具有比较优势的出口领域；二是中国没有优势的进口和技术知识领域。前者基本上是竞争性的，而后者是市场不完全起作用的，它们对两国经济福利和长期发展的影响是不同的。
A trade war is when a nation imposes tariffs or quotas on imports and foreign countries retaliate with similar forms of trade protectionism. As it escalates, a trade war reduces international trade.
A trade war starts when a nation attempts to protect its domestic industry and create jobs. In the short run, it may work. Tariffs are supposed to give a competitive advantage to domestic producers of that product. Their prices would be lower by comparison. As a result, they would receive more orders from local customers. As their businesses grow, they would add jobs.
But in the long run, a trade war costs jobs. It depresses economic growth for all countries involved. It also triggers inflation when tariffs increase the prices of imports.
【背景资料 Background】
China announced on Wednesday a list of US products valued at $50 billion annually that are subject to additional tariffs as a reciprocal trade measure to safeguard its legitimate interests. Earlier, the US government rolled out a massive list of tariffs for $50 billion worth of Chinese products.
4日，作为报复性贸易举措，我国公布了拟对自美国进口的500亿美元商品加征关税的产品清单，以保护我国的合法权益。早前，美国政府公布了对我国价值500亿美元出口商品的大规模征税清单。
On the 3rd, the U.S. Trade Representative Office released the tax collection list for China based on the results of the 301 investigation. The list covers the aerospace, information and communications technology, robotics, and machinery industries. It contains about 1300 independent tariff items involving China’s 50 billion yuan. The US export tax rate is 25%, and a number of U.S. media have indicated that this time the tariff increase is directed to China's high-tech manufacturing products.
3日，美国贸易代表办公室依据"301调查结果，公布了对华征税清单。清单涉及航空航天、信息和通信技术、、机器人和机械等行业，包含大约1300个独立关税项目，涉及我国500亿美元出口，建议税率为25%。多家美国媒体表示此次加征关税直指中国的高科技制造业产品。
The spokesperson of the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China stated at the first moment that the United States disregards China’s solemn representations, has no basis in fact, and publishes taxation proposals. It is typical of unilateralism and trade protectionism. China strongly condemns and firmly opposes it. China intends to immediately refer the relevant US practices to the WTO dispute settlement mechanism. The spokesperson also said that China is prepared to take equal measures and similar measures on the US product.
我国商务部新闻发言人第一时间表示，美方不顾中方的严正交涉，毫无事实依据，公布征税建议，是典型的单边主义和贸易保护主义做法，中方强烈谴责，坚决反对。中方拟立即将美方有关做法诉诸世贸组织争端解决机制。发言人还表示，中方准备对美产品采取同等力度、同等规模的对等措施。
The Ministry of Finance announced on the 4th that with the approval of the State Council, the Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council decided to impose a 25% tariff on 14 categories of 106 products such as soybeans, beef, automobiles, chemicals, and airplanes originating in the United States, involving China’s imports from the United States. The amount is about 50 billion U.S. dollars.
财政部4日发布消息，经国务院批准，国务院关税税则委员会决定对原产于美国的大豆、牛肉、汽车、化工品、飞机等14类106项商品加征25%的关税，涉及中国自美进口金额约500亿美元。
【词汇拓展Vocabulary】:
- 贸易保护主义措施Trade protectionist measures
- 来而不往非礼也It is only polite to reciprocate
- 保持理性，着眼长远With sense and long-term picture in mind
- 不要在错误的道路上越走越远Refrain from going further down the wrong path
- 贸易战Trade war
例句：总之，美国和中国的经济已经相互联系得太紧密了，进行贸易战不会有任何好的结果，只会导致两败俱伤。
In the end, the American and Chinese economies are already too interconnected for a trade war to be anything but lose-lose.
- 关税/ 征收关税 Tariff / Impose tariff（“tariff”特指进出口货物所征收的税，而我们通常用的“tax”泛指一切政府的税收。）
例句：商务部在其网站上声明，从周二开始，将对欧盟进口土豆淀粉征收17%-35%的关税。
In a statement on its website, the ministry said the measures will apply from Tuesday, with the tariff varying from 17 to 35 percent.
- 知识产权侵犯Intellectual Property Infringement
- 回击；报复Retaliate
- 对策Countermeasure
- 贸易顺差/逆差Trade surplus/deficit
- “来而不往非礼也”One should return as good as one receives
- 被逼迫Force somebody’s hands
- 胆怯，感到害怕/ 畏缩Quail / recoil
例句：“中方不想跟任何人打贸易战，但如果有人非逼迫我们打，我们一不会怕，二不会躲。”
We want no trade war with anyone, but if our hands are forced, we will not quail nor recoil from it.
过境关税Transit Duties
关税同盟Customs Union
优惠税率Preferential Rate
出口限制Export Restriction
自主关税Autonomous Tariff
反倾销税Anti-dumping Duties
关税和贸易总协定秘书处Secretariat of GATT
最惠国税率The Most-favored-nation Rate of Duty
关税和贸易总协定The General Agreement On Tariffs And Trade
撰稿：丁楠