VOA慢速英语：中国寻求承认其市场经济地位

China Seeks Recognition as Market Economy

中国寻求承认其市场经济地位

China just marked 15 years since it became a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

中国成为世贸组织成员国已经有15年历史。

But on Monday, China launched a complaint at the WTO. Chinese officials are protesting the way the United States and European Union calculate prices for exported goods in trade disputes with their country.

但是在星期一，中国向世贸组织提出了申诉。中国官员是在抗议欧美在与中国的贸易争端中对出口商品价格的计算方式。

China joined the WTO on December 11, 2001. On Sunday, part of China's agreement with the trade group came to an end.

中国于2001年12月11日加入了世贸组织。上个周日，中国与世贸组织的部分协议已经到期。

Chinese officials say this means the nation, led by the Chinese Communist Party, should have market economy status, also known as MES. The term MES means that trade partners would have to accept prices reported by China's exporters.

中国官员表示，这意味着中国应该获得市场经济地位。市场经济地位意味着贸易伙伴必须接受中国出口商报出的价格。

For the past 15 years, China's trade partners have used what are called "surrogate prices." These prices are believed to take the real cost of Chinese exports into consideration. This may include government assistance that makes prices lower.

在过去15年里，中国的贸易伙伴使用了所谓的替代国价格，据信这类价格考虑到了中国出口的实际成本，它可能包括使得价格降低的政府援助。

Market economy status makes it harder for other countries to punish a WTO trade partner with high tariffs.

市场经济地位使得其它国家更难用高关税来惩罚世贸组织贸易伙伴。

However, the European Union, the United States and some other countries do not agree that China should be given MES. Japan and India also are unlikely to immediately consider China a market economy.

但是，欧盟、美国和其它一些国家不同意赋予中国市场经济地位。日本和印度也不太可能立即承认中国为市场经济。

Concerns about selling products below the cost of production

对低价倾销的担忧

China's economy is slowing now after expanding for about 25 years at a rate of 10 percent or more. This year, the world's second largest economy is expected to grow by less than seven percent.

中国经济以10%甚至更高的速度扩张近25年之后，现在正在放缓。今年，这个世界第二大经济体预计增长不足7%。

China considers market economy status important to its efforts to increase or at least support trade levels.

中国认为市场经济地位对该国提升或至少维持贸易水平的措施来说非常重要。

But many experts say China heavily supports state-owned businesses by letting them cut prices and "dump" goods in foreign markets. The word dumping describes selling exports for a lower price than they are sold in their home market or below the cost of production.

但是很多专家认为，中国大力支持国有企业，允许它们降价在国外市场倾销商品。倾销是指以低于本国市场售价或生产成本进行出口销售。

Scott Kennedy is director of the Project on Chinese Business and Political Economy at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.

斯科特·肯尼迪(Scott Kennedy)是华盛顿战略与国际研究中心中国商业与政治经济项目的负责人。

He says, "The most neutral judge of whether China is complying with its WTO commitments is the WTO."

他说，“世贸组织是中国是否遵守对世贸组织承诺最为中立的法官。”

Out of 24 trade disputes, Kennedy says, decisions have been reached in 16. Of those cases, he notes, China has lost 13.

肯尼迪表示，在24起贸易争端中已经有16起作出了裁决。在这些已裁决的争端中，中国输掉了其中13起。

However, a recent editorial in the Communist Party's "People's Daily" said it is not an issue of letting China receive market economy status. The newspaper said it is the "obligation of the EU and other WTO members" to give China MES.

然而，中国《人民日报》最近的一篇社论表示，让中国获得市场经济地位并不是一项需要争论的议题。该报纸表示，赋予中国市场经济地位是欧盟和其它世贸组织成员国的义务。

Free trade less popular around the world

自由贸易在全球少受欢迎

The disagreement over China's position in the WTO adds to growing concerns about free trade around the world.

对中国在世贸组织地位的分歧加重了人们对世界各地自由贸易日益增长的担忧。

Ideas that some people consider protectionist have been voiced in Europe. They became widely reported after Britain voted to leave the European Union. U.S. president-elect Donald Trump has also threatened to place heavy import taxes on some Chinese goods.

有些人认为贸易保护主义已经在欧洲发声。在英国公投脱欧后保护主义被广泛报道。美国候任总统川普也威胁要对一些中国商品征收重税。

Eli Friedman is an associate professor at Cornell University's Industrial and Labor Relations School. He says the possibility of protectionist measures in the West could be really bad news for China's exporters.

伊莱·弗里德曼(Eli Friedman)是康奈尔大学产业和劳动关系学院的副教授。他说，西方可能的贸易保护措施对中国出口商来说可能是个坏消息。

He says, "Many countries are now looking to China to push forward on free trade—an agenda that is increasingly unpopular among voters globally."

他说，“很多国家现在都在寻求让中国推进自由贸易，而自由贸易这个议程在全球选民中越来越不受欢迎。”

The WTO is expected to release more information about China's recent case in the coming days.

预计世贸组织将在未来几天发布更多关于中国近期事件的信息。

I'm Mario Ritter.

我是马里奥·里特。