New numbers from China's customs agency say the country's exports for 2009 were more than $1.2 trillion, slightly ahead of Germany.
中国海关的新数据显示，中国2009年出口总值超过1·2万亿美元，略高于德国。
Exports in December rose nearly 18 percent from a year earlier. At the same time, imports leapt nearly 56 percent.
去年12月份出口值比一年前增长将近18%。同时，当月进口值同比猛增近56%。
Asian Development Bank economist Zhuang Jian says strong performance in the last two months of 2009 helped China's export surge.
亚洲开发银行经济学家庄健认为，中国2009年出口值快速增长得益于最后两个月出口的突出表现。
Zhuang says China is a huge country, so it is not surprising to see China overtaking Germany as the world's top exporter. The economist says China has been trying to expand its exports through what he called the "right economic policies and measures," Zhuang said.
庄健说：“中国超过德国成为全球第一大出口国，我觉得这个没有太多的惊讶。中国是个非常大的国家，这些年加入WTO以后，中国抓住机遇扩大出口，再加上政策的支持，这块儿没有疑问。”
In addition to being the world's largest exporter, China is already the biggest auto market and steel maker. It is the third-largest economy in the world, behind the United States and Japan.
中国除了成为世界第一大出口国之外，它还是世界最大的汽车产销国和钢铁生产国。中国是世界第三大经济体，仅次于美国和日本。
The image of made-in-China products has taken some negative hits in recent years, following scandals involving lead paint in toys and tainted food products.
In the latest development, U.S. authorities are launching an investigation into the presence of the toxic chemical cadmium in children's jewelry imported from China.
最新的发展是，美国有关部门正在对中国输美儿童首饰中存在有毒化学物质镉发起调查。
An Associated Press investigative report documents how some Chinese manufacturers have been using cadmium in cheap charm bracelets and pendants being sold through the United States.
美联社一份调查报告记录了一些中国厂商在销往美国各地的廉价手链小饰物和饰坠上一直使用镉的情况。
Cadmium is a known carcinogen and is similar to lead in that it can hinder brain development in the very young.
据知，化学物质镉是一种致癌物质。跟铅类似，镉在人非常小的时候会阻碍大脑的发育。
In recent years, Chinese toy makers came under scrutiny after U.S. investigators found harmful amounts of lead in products for children and banned the use of lead.
近些年，美国调查人员在儿童产品中发现铅含量足以对人体造成伤害之后，开始对中国玩具厂商进行认真审查，并禁止在产品中使用铅。
In a public meeting in New York late last year, the chair of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, Inez Tenenbaum, addressed parents' concerns about dangerous Chinese-made toys.
去年年末在纽约召开的公开会议上，美国消费品安全委员会主席伊内兹·特南鲍姆针对美国家长对中国生产的危险玩具的担忧时说：
"Toys imported from China, as toys manufactured in the United States and imported from other countries, all have to meet U.S. requirements and meet the U.S. laws," noted Tenenbaum. "And, we can impose significant fines and sanctions on toy manufacturers or importers who do not meet these requirements."
“从中国进口的玩具，跟在美国生产的玩具以及从其它国家进口的玩具一样，都必须符合美国的规定和美国的相关法律。对那些没有达到规定的玩具生产商或者进口商，我们要处以高额罚款并给予制裁。”
Ms. Tenenbaum is set to deliver a speech Tuesday, in Hong Kong, at a toy safety meeting organized by the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.
特南鲍姆定于星期二在亚太经济合作论坛于香港举行的玩具安全会议上发表讲话。 |