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缅甸纺织业盼望重返美国市场

Before the United States began imposing¹ trade sanctions against Burma, more than half of the country's textiles were exported to American consumers.  With the suspension of U.S. sanctions, hopes are high that U.S. orders will revive the market.  But garment industry insiders say U.S. labor² and safety standards mean the process will be a slow one.

在美国开始对缅甸实施贸易制裁之前，超过半数的缅甸纺织品都出口到美国消费市场。如今，随着美国暂停制裁，缅甸人期盼着重新见到来自美国的订单。不过服装业内人士说，由于美国的劳工和安全标准，缅甸纺织业重返美国市场可能还要经历缓慢的过程。

Shaking off the dust

*结束孤立为重振纺织业带来希望*

It is the first time Aung Win has returned to a former textile factory since U.S. sanctions forced it to close down a decade ago.

自从美国的制裁迫使这家服装厂关门后，这是昂温（Aung Win）第一次重返故地。

The vice³ chairman of the Myanmar Garment Manufacturer's Association says the factory used to produce polo shirts and other knit clothing for American retail⁴ giants such as Kmart and Walmart.

这位缅甸服装制造商协会的副主席说，这家工厂曾为凯玛特（Kmart）和沃尔玛(Walmart)等美国零售业巨头生产过Polo牌衬衫和其它针织服装。

But, when U.S. orders stopped, he says more than half of Burma's 300 textile factories closed down and thousands of jobs were lost.

但是昂温说，当美国订单不再来的时候，缅甸300家纺织厂有一半以上被迫关门，成千上万人丢了工作。

"The quantity that we are receiving for these last few years the order quantity is small and the style is so many.  So, everyone is waiting for the U.S. order because the quantity is big," Aung Win said. "So, the factory can make more money."

他说，“过去几年来，我们收到的订单都是样式特别多而数量特别少。所以，每个人都在等着美国的订单，因为美国订单数量大，工厂可以赚更多的钱。”

Most of the remaining manufacturers switched to supplying Korean and Japanese markets.

多数仍在开工的制造商转向了韩国和日本市场。

That has kept the industry afloat, but many acknowledge Asian suppliers have looser factory labor standards that may not meet U.S. requirements.

亚洲生意让缅甸服装业得以残喘，但很多人承认，亚洲供应商的劳工标准相对松弛，可能达不到美国的要求。

Meeting U.S. standards

*期盼美国资本和顾客卷土重来*

Park Choong Youl, owner of World Apparel company, says the return of the American market is an opportunity for all.

世界服饰公司（World Apparel ）老板朴忠英（Park Choong Youl ）说，重返美国市场对每个人来说都是机会。

"If the United States lifts the sanction on Burma, then the level of the garment business will be upgraded," he explained. "I wish to receive orders from the U.S. as soon as possible.  The owners of other companies also want the U.S. to lift sanctions as soon as possible so they too can work on orders for the U.S."

他说：“如果美国取消对缅甸的制裁，服装业就会升级。我希望尽快从美国得到订单。。。其它公司的老板也希望美国尽快取消制裁，这样就可以开始从美国拿订单了。”

Garment association chairman Aung Win says reaching U.S. compliance⁵ requirements can take up to a year and can be expensive.

服装协会的昂温说，可能最多要用一年的时间才能达到美国标准，而且成本不低。

Costly⁶ generators⁷, to deal with frequent power cuts, and having to source materials from China puts the squeeze on smaller companies like Princess Power Manufacturing.

由于经常断电，工厂必须购置发电机，还得从中国购买原料，这些原因让大力公主制造商（Princess Power Manufacturing）这样的较小公司不堪重负。

Princess Power Manufacturing Director Tun Tun says they want to attract U.S. investment, management, and technology but they have to first meet standards for environmental protection, welfare, and labor.

公司主管吞吞说，他们希望引进美国的投资、管理和技术，可是他们必须要首先满足环保、福利和劳工标准。

"If we can meet those criteria⁸ they will place orders.  But, we are now just on the beginning of the changes.  Maybe some of our factories they have already established the criteria set by the U.S., I mean U.S. investors," Tun Tun said. "Maybe some of us are not ready yet.  But, we have to make changes."

吞吞说：“如果我们能满足这些标准，他们就会订货。可我们现在刚刚开始改。也许我们有些工厂已经建立了美国投资者定的标准，也许有些还没有准备好。不管怎么说，我们必须要改。”

Economic officer at the U.S. Embassy in Rangoon Machut Shishak, says he thinks American businesses can regain⁹ their lost ground in Burma.

美国驻仰光大使馆经济官玛楚特·史沙克（Machut Shishak）说，他认为美国公司能够在缅甸收复失地。

"I think part of that is a desire to diversify¹⁰ their source of production, out of China out of Cambodia, perhaps to reduce the exposure to different sole dependence¹¹ on particular countries, to diversify that. And, also there are some advantages here despite the challenges."

他说：“我认为，部分原因是他们希望把生产来源多元化，离开中国，离开柬埔寨，也许减少对某个国家单一性的依赖，实现多元化。另外，除了有挑战，这里还有一些优势。”

Burma's garment manufacturers say once U.S. investment arrives their main concern will be increased wage costs and competition for workers.

缅甸服装制造商说，一旦美国投资入境，他们的主要担心将是工资成本上升以及公司争抢员工。