纽约时报 特朗普任命强硬派代表主持与中方的谈判(1)

Trump¹ Appoints Hard-Liner for Trade Talks

特朗普任命强硬派代表主持与中方的谈判

President Trump cast his trade accord with President Xi Jinping of China as a huge victory for American farmers, automakers and other key political constituencies —

华盛顿电——特朗普总统称，他与中国国家主席习近平签署的贸易协定是美国农民、汽车制造商和其他关键政治群体的巨大胜利——

statements that helped send volatile² financial markets higher on Monday and seemed intended to calm worries about the economic toll³ of a protracted⁴ trade war.

这一声明推动了原本动荡的金融市场走高，似乎是有意安抚人们对一场旷日持久的贸易战会造成的经济损失产生的担忧。

Yet 42 hours after the deal was struck, several big areas of contention⁵ remained unresolved

然而，协议达成42小时后，几大充满争议的问题还是没有得到解决，

and Mr. Trump appointed a veteran trade negotiator with deep skepticism toward China to lead the talks for the United States.

特朗普却任命了一名对中国持严重怀疑态度的资深贸易谈判代表代表美国主持与中方的谈判。

Mr. Trump’s choice of Robert Lighthizer, the United States trade representative, to lead the negotiations⁶ is significant,

特朗普选择罗伯特·莱特希泽，美国贸易代表，来领导这次谈判有着重大的意义，

given that the official statements from Saturday’s meeting included only vague commitments

因为周六会议的官方声明中只有模棱两可的承诺，

and that deep divisions remain, particularly over China’s treatment of American companies and push to obtain trade secrets and intellectual property.

也因为深刻的分歧，尤其是中国对待美国公司的方式以及中国对获取商业秘密和知识产权的推动方面的分歧，依然存在。

The administration has been intensely conflicted about how to approach China,

在如何与中国打交道的问题上，特朗普政府一直存在激烈的内部矛盾：

with hard-liners like Mr. Lighthizer advising Mr. Trump to use punishing tariffs⁷ to force Beijing to change,

莱特希泽等强硬派建议特朗普用惩罚性关税迫使北京做出改变；

and more moderate advisers⁸, like Steven Mnuchin, the Treasury⁹ secretary, encouraging the president to avoid a trade war.

更为温和的顾问，比如财政部长史蒂芬·姆钦，则鼓励总统避免引发贸易战。

Mr. Lighthizer, who recently brokered¹⁰ the new North American trade deal, is a longtime critic of China’s trade practices

最近促成了新的北美贸易协定的莱特希泽对中国的贸易行为一直持批判态度，

and has repeatedly cautioned Mr. Trump not to accept vague promises that fail to materialize.

他还多次警告特朗普不要接受不能兑现的含糊承诺。

He will be taking the reins¹¹ from Mr. Mnuchin, who led previous rounds of negotiations with the Chinese but could not close a deal that satisfied the president.

此次，他将从姆钦手中接过大权。后者领导了与中方的前几轮谈判，但每次都未能达成令总统满意的协议。

1 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

2 volatile   

adj.反复无常的，挥发性的，稍纵即逝的，脾气火爆的；n.挥发性物质

参考例句：

• With the markets being so volatile,investments are at great risk.由于市场那么变化不定，投资冒着很大的风险。
• His character was weak and volatile.他这个人意志薄弱，喜怒无常。

3 toll   

n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)

参考例句：

• The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
• The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。

4 protracted   

adj.拖延的；延长的v.拖延“protract”的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• The war was protracted for four years. 战争拖延了四年。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• We won victory through protracted struggle. 经过长期的斗争，我们取得了胜利。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 contention   

n.争论，争辩，论战；论点，主张

参考例句：

• The pay increase is the key point of contention. 加薪是争论的焦点。
• The real bone of contention,as you know,is money.你知道，争论的真正焦点是钱的问题。

6 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

7 tariffs   

关税制度； 关税( tariff的名词复数 )； 关税表； （旅馆或饭店等的）收费表； 量刑标准

参考例句：

• British industry was sheltered from foreign competition by protective tariffs. 保护性关税使英国工业免受国际竞争影响。
• The new tariffs have put a stranglehold on trade. 新的关税制对开展贸易极为不利。

8 advisers   

顾问，劝告者( adviser的名词复数 )； （指导大学新生学科问题等的）指导教授

参考例句：

• a member of the President's favoured circle of advisers 总统宠爱的顾问班子中的一员
• She withdrew to confer with her advisers before announcing a decision. 她先去请教顾问然后再宣布决定。

9 treasury   

n.宝库；国库，金库；文库

参考例句：

• The Treasury was opposed in principle to the proposals.财政部原则上反对这些提案。
• This book is a treasury of useful information.这本书是有价值的信息宝库。

10 brokered   

adj.由权力经纪人安排（或控制）的v.做掮客（或中人等）( broker的过去式和过去分词 )；作为权力经纪人进行谈判；以中间人等身份安排…

参考例句：

• a peace plan brokered by the UN 由联合国出面协商的和平计划
• Your husband brokered the deal to go in, transfrer the assets and get our man out. 你丈夫后来插了一脚，把生意都抢了过去，我们的人也被挤了出来。 来自电影对白

11 reins   

感情，激情； 缰( rein的名词复数 )； 控制手段； 掌管； （成人带着幼儿走路以防其走失时用的）保护带

参考例句：

• She pulled gently on the reins. 她轻轻地拉着缰绳。
• The government has imposed strict reins on the import of luxury goods. 政府对奢侈品的进口有严格的控制手段。