2005年NPR美国国家公共电台十二月-China's Economy Larger Than Thought

The business news starts with a great leap forward in Chinese accounting¹.

China's economy turns out to be bigger than anybody thought. By switching to a better counting, accounting method, the Chinese have discovered 300 billion missing dollars in their economy. And this morning's NPR's Adam Davidson tells us what that means.

Adam Davidson: It turns out it's not that hard to lose track of 300 billion dollars. At least not for China where about 9 hundred million people still live in farms and remote villages.

"Out of the city, out of the banking² system, not necessarily using money or credit cards or checks for their transactions. It's not at all surprising that a big chunk³ of their activity might be missed by statistical⁴ sampling techniques."

Adam Davison: Carl Weinberg with High Frequency Economics, says China is still trying to modernize⁵ an accounting system first developed in the Soviet⁶ era. The new techniques revealed this week are a huge step forward in allowing bureaucrats⁷ to keep track of the ever-growing private sector⁸. China will release the first revised economic data next week. Many expect China's economy will be about 20 percent larger than previously⁹ thought. Nick Lardy is a China specialist at the Institute for International Economics, he says that over the past decade, China's accounting practices have become much more sophisticated.

Nick Lardy: You know, on a scale of one to ten, if the US is ten, you know, China's probably a seven or eight. Technically¹⁰, this is difficult, and it's a pretty massive effort when you're talking about one of the largest economies in the world.

Adam Davison: The old data showed that China's economy has been growing at nearly ten percent a year for the past decade, some have called this growth: the China miracle. The new data might confirm that number or reveal that China has been growing even faster than that, something that might alarm Americans who fear China's growing economic strength.

Adam Davison: On the other hand, the new data seems likely to show that Chinese consumers are spending more, this should be welcome news to US manufacturers hoping to sell products in China. Manufacturers need good news, especially now, the same week that the US trade deficit¹¹ with China reached a record high.

Adam Davison: Adam Davison, NPR news.

1 accounting   

n.会计，会计学，借贷对照表

参考例句：

• A job fell vacant in the accounting department.财会部出现了一个空缺。
• There's an accounting error in this entry.这笔账目里有差错。

2 banking   

n.银行业，银行学，金融业

参考例句：

• John is launching his son on a career in banking.约翰打算让儿子在银行界谋一个新职位。
• He possesses an extensive knowledge of banking.他具有广博的银行业务知识。

3 chunk   

n.厚片，大块，相当大的部分（数量）

参考例句：

• They had to be careful of floating chunks of ice.他们必须当心大块浮冰。
• The company owns a chunk of farmland near Gatwick Airport.该公司拥有盖特威克机场周边的大片农田。

4 statistical   

adj.统计的，统计学的

参考例句：

• He showed the price fluctuations in a statistical table.他用统计表显示价格的波动。
• They're making detailed statistical analysis.他们正在做具体的统计分析。

5 modernize   

vt.使现代化，使适应现代的需要

参考例句：

• It was their manifest failure to modernize the country's industries.他们使国家进行工业现代化，明显失败了。
• There is a pressing need to modernise our electoral system.我们的选举制度迫切需要现代化。

6 Soviet   

adj.苏联的，苏维埃的；n.苏维埃

参考例句：

• Zhukov was a marshal of the former Soviet Union.朱可夫是前苏联的一位元帅。
• Germany began to attack the Soviet Union in 1941.德国在1941年开始进攻苏联。

7 bureaucrats   

n.官僚( bureaucrat的名词复数 )；官僚主义；官僚主义者；官僚语言

参考例句：

• That is the fate of the bureaucrats, not the inspiration of statesmen. 那是官僚主义者的命运，而不是政治家的灵感。 来自辞典例句
• Big business and dozens of anonymous bureaucrats have as much power as Japan's top elected leaders. 大企业和许多不知名的官僚同日本选举出来的最高层领导者们的权力一样大。 来自辞典例句

8 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。

9 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

10 technically   

adv.专门地，技术上地

参考例句：

• Technically it is the most advanced equipment ever.从技术上说，这是最先进的设备。
• The tomato is technically a fruit,although it is eaten as a vegetable.严格地说，西红柿是一种水果，尽管它是当作蔬菜吃的。

11 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。