(十三): Administration's embrace of trade confrontation
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Administration's embrace of trade confrontation
政府对贸易冲突的欢迎态度
Text
After six years of relying on quiet diplomacy to resolve trade issues with European Union, the Bush administration has abruptly shifted to a more aggressive strategy. On Tuesday the U. S. trade representative fled two complaints at the World Trade.Organization in Geneva both related to the sale of American books, music and films. That action followed by less than two weeks a Commerce Department decision to impose tariffs on imports of EU paper. And that followed another WTO case filed in February which charged EU with providing illegal incentives to exporters.
The flurry of punches intend to force some EU concessions on long-standing disputes, to stave off more drastic measures by Congress and to persuade Democrats to compromise with the administration on other trade issues-notably pending free-trade agreements with South Korea and three Latin American countries. The price is some considerable bending of the administration's professed free-trade principles and the risk of a EU backlash that could affect not only trade relation but cooperation on strategic issues such as North Korea’s nuclear program. It might be worth it if the hoped-for payoff came through.History and present politics suggest it wont.
The most substantive and least unprincipled of the administration's measures are the intellectual property cases filed Tuesday. Hollywood estimates that it lost $244 million to piracy in 2005. By filing complaints with the WTO, the United States is employing an established multilateral mechanism that will allow for negotiations and a lengthy adjustment period by Europe if it loses the case. The question is one of effectiveness: The main problem is not EU law but the enforcement of it. It's doubtful that a WTO case will cause European police to become more aggressive or successful in shutting down the counterfeiters. The paper tariff addresses a much smaller problem-total exports of EU glossy paper to the United States are equal to one-tenth of 1 percent of EU contribution to the U. S. trade deficit-and is considerably harder to justify. Acting unilaterally, the administration set aside a 20-year-old policy of not attempting to target subsidies in state-run economies.
Meanwhile, by giving in to the pressure of U.S. paper producers, the administration opened the way for a parade of copycat complaints by steel manufacturers and others. If they are not resisted, the result will certainly be a damaging trade war, with most of the costs paid by U. S. consumers .
The administration's embrace of trade confrontation with Europe companies multiple concessions to congressional Democrats on labor and environmental provisions of the pending free-trade agreements. Such protectionist pandering was used in President bush's first term to help win congressional approval for trade negotiating authority, which will expire in June unless renewed. But while first-term steel tariffs damaged the economy and U.S. credibility in trade talks, there was not much long-term benefit-there have been no multilateral trade agreements in the Bush presidency. Given the escalating Democratic resistance to constructive compromises on trade, it's doubtful that this round of EU bashing will yield much, either.
小试牛刀
1.The two complaints filed by U.S. suggest that ______.
A. America is ready for a more radical confrontation against EU trading
B. the sales of American books in Europe will decrease quickly
C. Europe exporters can no longer receive illegal motivations
D. U. S. Commerce Department plays a key role in fighting the EU trading
2.According to the second paragraph, the purpose of punches against EU is ______.
A. to retrieve the promised payoff from EU
B. to ensure the predominance for Bush administration
C. to protect U. S. from a possible backlash from EU
D. to safeguard the administrations free-trade policies
3.It is suggested in paragraph 3 that the U.S. government mainly concerns with ______.
A. the cost engendered by piracy
B. the validity of WTO's verdict
C. the establishment of a multilateral mechanism
D. the credibility of European police force
4. Which of the following is true according to paragraph 4?
A. U. S. consumers are willing to pay the price for their government's behaviors
B. Paper tariff constitutes a relatively small part of a Europe's economy
C. Subsidy for state-run economy is essential for U. S. economy
D. Other U. S. industries may impose pressure on the government
5. What is the authors attitude toward Bush’s trade confrontation with Europe?
A. Satisfied
B. Sympathetic
C. Skeptical
D. Impartial
核心词汇
（向上滑动查看核心词汇）
diplomacy [dɪˈploʊməsi]
n.外交; 外交手腕，交际手段; 外交使团; 处世之道;
tariff [ˈtærɪf]
n.关税; 关税表; 价格表;
vt.征收关税; 定税率; 定收费标准;
incentive [ɪnˈsɛntɪv]
n.动机; 诱因; 刺激; 鼓励;
adj.刺激性的; 鼓励性质的;
flurry [ˈflɜ:ri]
n.一阵风、雨或雪; 爆发，骚动;
vt.使迷乱; 使慌张;
vi.慌张地行动;
concession [kənˈsɛʃən]
n.让步，迁就; （尤指由政府或雇主给予的） 特许权; 租借地; 承认或允许;
stave off [stev ɔf]
v.延缓; 避开，挡开，延迟; 暂时挡住; 避开（某事）; 推迟（令人不快的事物）;
pending [ˈpɛndɪŋ]
prep.直到，在等待…期间;
adj.未决的; 待定的; 未定的; 即将发生的;
backlash [ˈbækˌlæʃ]
n.反击; 后坐; 激烈反应;
substantive [ˈsʌbstəntɪv]
adj.真实的; 独立的; 大量的; 本质的，实质的;
n.作名词用的词或词组; [语] 实词，名词; 独立存在的实体;
piracy [ˈpaɪrəsi]
n.海上抢劫; 盗版行为，非法复制;
multilateral [ˌmʌltɪˈlætərəl]
adj.多方面的，多边的; 多国的; 多国参加的;
counterfeiter [ˈkaʊntərfɪtə(r)]
n.伪造者;
confrontation [ˌkɑ:nfrənˈteɪʃn]
n.对抗; 对峙; 面对; 遭遇;
protectionist [prə'tekʃənɪst]
n.贸易保护主义者;
adj.保护贸易论的;
pandering ['pændɚ]
v.迎合（他人的低级趣味或淫欲）( pander的现在分词 ); 纵容某人; 迁就某事物;
escalating['ɛskəletɪŋ]
v.（使） 逐步升级( escalate的现在分词 ); （使） 逐步扩大; （使） 更高; （使） 更大;
长难句解析
1. The flurry of punches intend to force some EU concessions on long-standing disputes, to stave off more drastic measures by Congress and to persuade. Democrats to compromise with the administration on other trade issues-notably pending free-trade agreements with South Korea and three Latin American countries.
结构分析：本句为主谓宾结构,主干为 the flurry of punches intend to force…, to stave.. and to persuade.,其中包括三个并列宾语,均为动词不定式结构。破折号后的现在分词可看作后置定语,补充说明 other trade issues。
参考译文：一系列的重拳出击意欲迫使欧盟在长期存在的争端中让步,避免国会采取更极端的措施,同时说服民主党人在其他贸易问题上与政府达成一致一一尤其是尚未与韩国及其他三个拉丁美洲国家签订价就是布什政府在之前公开发表的自由贸易协定。
2. The paper tariff addresses a much smaller problem-total exports of EU glossy paper to the United States are equal to one-tenth of 1 percent of EU contribution to the U. S. trade deficit-and is considerably harder to justify.
结构分析：本句主干结构是 the paper tariff addresses a problem and is harder to justify。由and连接两个并列的谓语,一个是实意动词 addresses,一个是系动词is;两个破折号中间的是同位语,解释说明宾语 a much smaller problem的内容。
参考译文：纸张关税要解决的则是一个相对较小的问题,但这一举措却更难以站得住脚。欧盟向美国出口光面纸的总量相当于欧盟对美国贸易逆差的千分之一。
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