2016年CRI Overcapacity reduction still faces challenges: official

 

Zhao Chenxin, spokesperson for China’s National Development and Reform Commission, speaks at a news briefing in Beijing on August 16, 2016. [Photo: china.com.cn]

Zhao Chenxin, spokesperson for the National Development and Reform Commission, suggests local officials have been digging in their heels when it comes to making the tough cuts needed in the country's steel and coal production sectors¹.

"Over 9,500 tons of coal production has been reduced by the end of July, accounting² for 38 percent of the annual target; meanwhile, 21 million tons of iron and steel have been slashed³, fulfilling 47 percent of that target. Although the reduction has been sped up since July, we still failed to meet the requirement of attaining⁴ half of the annual target within half of this year."

The NDRC says there are several regions where local authorities have been unwilling⁵ to cut capacity in order to protect jobs and their local economies.

Officials suggest this is more evident in regions where the coal and steel industries make up a significant proportion of their local economy, saying local officials are worried about the negative impact on their GDP figures.

As such, the NDRC is calling on local governments to be more resolute⁶ in overcapacity reduction and carry out the tasks like an order from a military commander.

Zhao Chenxin says additional measures, such as accountability systems, public exposure and blacklisting could be in-store for officials who are unwilling to make the tough calls.

"The reduction target is specific to each piece of equipment and each mine, to ensure that we meet the goal by the end of this year. We are going to issue regular reports on the implementation⁷ as of this month to ensure the fulfillment of our tasks."

In calling out local officials, the NDRC does say the cuts to overcapacity aren't going to have a major impact on the country's growth or harm the world economy.

The NDRC suggests overcapacity remains⁸ a global problem resulting from the 2008 financial crisis, saying it a major problem in areas such as crude oil, iron ore and auto⁹ making.

For CRI, I'm Xie Cheng.

1 sectors   

n.部门( sector的名词复数 )；领域；防御地区；扇形

参考例句：

• Berlin was divided into four sectors after the war. 战后柏林分成了4 个区。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Industry and agriculture are the two important sectors of the national economy. 工业和农业是国民经济的两个重要部门。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

2 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。

3 slashed   

v.挥砍( slash的过去式和过去分词 )；鞭打；割破；削减

参考例句：

• Someone had slashed the tyres on my car. 有人把我的汽车轮胎割破了。
• He slashed the bark off the tree with his knife. 他用刀把树皮从树上砍下。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 attaining   

（通常经过努力）实现( attain的现在分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况）

参考例句：

• Jim is halfway to attaining his pilot's licence. 吉姆就快要拿到飞行员执照了。
• By that time she was attaining to fifty. 那时她已快到五十岁了。

5 unwilling   

adj.不情愿的

参考例句：

• The natives were unwilling to be bent by colonial power.土著居民不愿受殖民势力的摆布。
• His tightfisted employer was unwilling to give him a raise.他那吝啬的雇主不肯给他加薪。

6 resolute   

adj.坚决的，果敢的

参考例句：

• He was resolute in carrying out his plan.他坚决地实行他的计划。
• The Egyptians offered resolute resistance to the aggressors.埃及人对侵略者作出坚决的反抗。

7 implementation   

n.实施，贯彻

参考例句：

• Implementation of the program is now well underway.这一项目的实施现在行情看好。

8 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

9 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。