与韩国的自由贸易促进澳农业

 　　与韩国的自由贸易促进澳农业

　　CANBERRA, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- Australian Minister for Trade and Investment Andrew Robb said on Monday the country's Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with South Korea will serve as a big boost to Australia's agriculture sector¹.

　　Robb released the full text of the 1,800-page document of FTA with South Korea, under which a 40 percent tariff² on beef exports will be scrapped³ and the Korean market would be opened up to other agricultural exports such as sheep meat and wine.

　　"These sorts of opportunities are just critical, especially given the situation in agriculture," Robb said at a press conference in Canberra.

　　"There is an exploding market on our doorstep, but we have to be able to compete."

　　Robb said the United States, as another major beef exporter, secured a free trade agreement with South Korea two years ago and hence has achieved an 8 percent advantage over Australia in beef export to the Northeast Asian country.

　　He said that the deal will boost agricultural exports to South Korea by more than 70 percent over the next 15 years, and manufacturing exports by up to 30 percent.

　　The auto⁴ components⁵ sector, hit by the loss of Holden and Toyota's local manufacturing operations, will immediately become more competitive as an 8 percent tariff will be removed in the South Korean market, he said.

　　Australian consumers will benefit from cheaper South Korean- made cars as a 5 percent import tariff designed to protect jobs in the Australian motor industry is removed over the next three to five years.

　　The agreement is yet to be finally signed and is set to take effect from the end of this year, subject to parliamentary ratification⁶.

　　What might become a concern for Australia is the inclusion of the so-called "investor-state dispute settlement" (ISDS) mechanism⁷, which gives foreign companies the right to sue the Australian government if they think they are being denied access to Australian markets.

　　But Robb believes safeguards built into its design mean its inclusion will not leave Australia exposed. He said the so-called "non-discriminatory" action taken by a government - that is, action that does not single out just one company - will not be liable to legal action under the ISDS.

1 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

2 tariff   

n.关税，税率；(旅馆、饭店等)价目表，收费表

参考例句：

• There is a very high tariff on jewelry.宝石类的关税率很高。
• The government is going to lower the tariff on importing cars.政府打算降低进口汽车的关税。

3 scrapped   

废弃(scrap的过去式与过去分词)； 打架

参考例句：

• This machine is so old that it will soon have to be scrapped. 这架机器太旧，快报废了。
• It had been thought that passport controls would be scrapped. 人们曾认为会放开护照管制。

4 auto   

n.(=automobile)(口语)汽车

参考例句：

• Don't park your auto here.别把你的汽车停在这儿。
• The auto industry has brought many people to Detroit.汽车工业把许多人吸引到了底特律。

5 components   

（机器、设备等的）构成要素，零件，成分； 成分( component的名词复数 )； [物理化学]组分； [数学]分量； （混合物的）组成部分

参考例句：

• the components of a machine 机器部件
• Our chemistry teacher often reduces a compound to its components in lab. 在实验室中化学老师常把化合物分解为各种成分。

6 ratification   

n.批准，认可

参考例句：

• The treaty is awaiting ratification.条约正等待批准。
• The treaty is subject to ratification.此条约经批准后才能生效。

7 mechanism   

n.机械装置；机构，结构

参考例句：

• The bones and muscles are parts of the mechanism of the body.骨骼和肌肉是人体的组成部件。
• The mechanism of the machine is very complicated.这台机器的结构是非常复杂的。