VOA标准英语2009年-G20's Stronger Economic Role Reflects Asia

By Brian Padden
Jakarta
25 September 2009

 
Overview of an Electronics Fair in Hong Kong, 13 Apr 2009
President Barack Obama is expected to announce that the G20 group of nations, which includes the Asian economies of India, China, Indonesia and South Korea, will replace the G8 in coordinating¹ the world economy. The G8 represented only the more developed economies of North America, Europe, Japan and Russia. Asian economists³ say this change reflects the growing economic power of the region but it also imposes greater responsibility as well.

Economists in Asia say designating the G20 group of leading and emerging economies the permanent body to coordinate⁴ the world economy will have little immediate⁵ impact.

Hadi Soesastro, the senior economist² at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Jakarta, says it will not dramatically change the balance of economic power in the world.

"Let's be honest. The agenda of the G20 continues to be dominated by the larger European countries and the United States. East Asia has not asserted itself," said Soesastro.

David O'Rear, the chief economist for the Hong Kong General Chamber⁶ of Commerce, says the change does reflect the growing economic power of China and other Asian economies.

"In the short-term, I don't see how they can many any significant changes. But certainly over longer period, it recognizes that China is now a very, very large economy, and should be part of the decision-making for the global financial and economic architecture," he said.

The G20 was created as a ministry-level advisory⁷ body in 1999 after the Asian financial crisis. It was only last year that the leaders of the group met for the first time.

Many developing nations complain that the crisis was created by financial regulatory mismanagement in the big developed nations. They have argued that as a result, their economies have suffered and they should have a greater say in how the global financial system operates.

An enhanced role for the G20 commits member countries to continue cooperating even after the global financial crisis ends. The group also agrees to give developing countries more votes in the International Monetary⁸ Fund, which oversees⁹ aspects of the global financial system.

Soesastro says with new power also comes new responsibility.

"There is so much expectation of such countries like China and India because of their recent economic performance but also because of the size of their economies, that they should do more for the global economy," he said.

He adds there will be increased pressure on Asian countries to act on issues such as reducing carbon emissions¹⁰, cutting fuel subsidies¹¹ and ending protectionist trade policies.

1 coordinating   

v.使协调，使调和( coordinate的现在分词 )；协调；协同；成为同等

参考例句：

• He abolished the Operations Coordinating Board and the Planning Board. 他废除了行动协调委员会和计划委员会。 来自辞典例句
• He's coordinating the wedding, and then we're not going to invite him? 他是来协调婚礼的，难道我们不去请他？ 来自电影对白

2 economist   

n.经济学家，经济专家，节俭的人

参考例句：

• He cast a professional economist's eyes on the problem.他以经济学行家的眼光审视这个问题。
• He's an economist who thinks he knows all the answers.他是个经济学家，自以为什么都懂。

3 economists   

n.经济学家，经济专家( economist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
• Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 coordinate   

adj.同等的，协调的；n.同等者；vt.协作，协调

参考例句：

• You must coordinate what you said with what you did.你必须使你的言行一致。
• Maybe we can coordinate the relation of them.或许我们可以调和他们之间的关系。

5 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

6 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

7 advisory   

adj.劝告的，忠告的，顾问的，提供咨询

参考例句：

• I have worked in an advisory capacity with many hospitals.我曾在多家医院做过顾问工作。
• He was appointed to the advisory committee last month.他上个月获任命为顾问委员会委员。

8 monetary   

adj.货币的，钱的；通货的；金融的；财政的

参考例句：

• The monetary system of some countries used to be based on gold.过去有些国家的货币制度是金本位制的。
• Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。

9 oversees   

v.监督，监视( oversee的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• She oversees both the research and the manufacturing departments. 她既监督研究部门又监督生产部门。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Department of Education oversees the federal programs dealing with education. 教育部监管处理教育的联邦程序。 来自互联网

10 emissions   

排放物( emission的名词复数 )； 散发物（尤指气体）

参考例句：

• Most scientists accept that climate change is linked to carbon emissions. 大多数科学家都相信气候变化与排放的含碳气体有关。
• Dangerous emissions radiate from plutonium. 危险的辐射物从钚放散出来。

11 subsidies   

n.补贴，津贴，补助金( subsidy的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• European agriculture ministers failed to break the deadlock over farm subsidies. 欧洲各国农业部长在农业补贴问题上未能打破僵局。
• Agricultural subsidies absorb about half the EU's income. 农业补贴占去了欧盟收入的大约一半。 来自《简明英汉词典》