CCTV9英语新闻12月：卡梅伦推动欧盟与中国的自由贸易协定

President Xi Jinping has met with visiting British Prime Minister David Cameron in Beijing. Xi Jinping stressed the importance of the relationship between China and the UK, saying that the two countries must respect each other and deepen mutual¹ trust. He welcomed UK investment, especially in the service sector², and added that the two nations could learn from each other in terms of innovation and reforms.

For more on David Cameron's visit to China, we have our reporters Richard Bestic in London and Su Yuting here in Beijing. Let’s start with Su Yuting.

Q1:Li Keqiang and David Cameron have taken a very pragmatic approach to their discussions. What have they actually come up with so far?

A1: China and Britain have reached important agreements in five areas including infrastructure³ and cooperation in nuclear power and high-speed rail. China has promised to invest in equities⁴ and stock in UK’s nuclear power projects. The UK will also help Chinese banks set up branches in England. Both countries have also agreed to further expand trade in high-tech⁵ sectors⁶, and supporting bilateral⁷ cooperation in space, oceanic wind power and the development of new energy. There is also agreement that exports of high-tech products to China should increase and the two leaders also agreed to set up innovation and research funds totalling 200 million pounds.

Under the topic of media cooperation, the countries’ leaders have said they will enhance cooperation on both traditional and new media. They plan to create a more solid foundation for cooperation in this area.

The UK has also agreed to further streamline⁸ visa procedures for Chinese travellers and businessmen, making it easy for them to establish partnerships⁹ and assess potential investment opportunities. Additional agreements are expected to be signed during the next two legs of Cameron’s visit which take him to China’s business hub, Shanghai, and the city of Chengdu.

Let’s talk to our correspondent in London, Richard Bestic.

Q1: Richard, Cameron has just concluded the first day of his visit to China. Do you think the British Prime Minister is satisfied so far?

Q2: Cameron has proposed a radical¹⁰ EU-China ’free trade agreement’. This proposal has come as something of a surprise. How far advanced is the idea?

Mangmang: Britain has played a leading role in boosting trade between China and the EU... How has China-UK trade developed in recent years?

A2: China and the UK have seen a remarkable¹¹ growth in trade and economic ties in recent years. Chinese tourists are one of the fastest growing groups of visitors to the UK - a record 179 thousand in 2012, spending a total of 300 million pounds. Visitors from China spend on average of some 17-hundred pounds in Britain per visit. That’s almost twice as much as a typical American tourist. And now, Chinese people visiting the EU will not need to apply separately for a UK visa. In 2012, the trade volume between the two countries reached 63 billion US dollars, a 7.5 percent increase from 2011. Meanwhile, the UK was the most popular European destination for Chinese investment. Chinese enterprises invested 8 billion US dollars in the UK in 2012 more than the total invested in 2009 to 2011.

 

 

1 mutual   

adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的

参考例句：

• We must pull together for mutual interest.我们必须为相互的利益而通力合作。
• Mutual interests tied us together.相互的利害关系把我们联系在一起。

2 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。

3 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

4 equities   

普通股，股票

参考例句：

• These are invested mainly in the OECD bonds and equities. 这些资产主要投资于经济合作及发展组织的债券与股票市场。
• They are also advantage of the global rebound in equities. 它们还在利用全球股市反弹的机会。

5 high-tech   

adj.高科技的

参考例句：

• The economy is in the upswing which makes high-tech services in more demand too.经济在蓬勃发展，这就使对高科技服务的需求量也在加大。
• The quest of a cure for disease with high-tech has never ceased. 人们希望运用高科技治疗疾病的追求从未停止过。

6 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》

7 bilateral   

adj.双方的，两边的，两侧的

参考例句：

• They have been negotiating a bilateral trade deal.他们一直在商谈一项双边贸易协定。
• There was a wide gap between the views of the two statesmen on the bilateral cooperation.对双方合作的问题，两位政治家各自所持的看法差距甚大。

8 streamline   

vt.使成流线型；使简化；使现代化

参考例句：

• We must streamline our methods.我们必须简化方法。
• Any liquid or gas passing it will have streamline flow.任何通过它的液体或气体将呈流线型的流动。

9 partnerships   

n.伙伴关系( partnership的名词复数 )；合伙人身份；合作关系

参考例句：

• Partnerships suffer another major disadvantage: decision-making is shared. 合伙企业的另一主要缺点是决定要由大家来作。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
• It involved selling off limited partnerships. 它涉及到售出有限的合伙权。 来自辞典例句

10 radical   

n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的

参考例句：

• The patient got a radical cure in the hospital.病人在医院得到了根治。
• She is radical in her demands.她的要求十分偏激。

11 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。