VOA慢速英語：美國在世貿(mào)組織對(duì)歐盟等國發(fā)起訴訟

US Disputes Tariffs from Canada, China, Mexico, EU

美國在世貿(mào)組織對(duì)歐盟等國發(fā)起訴訟

The United States has launched five separate dispute actions at the World Trade Organization against Canada, China, the European Union, Mexico and Turkey. The U.S. says these countries wrongly placed tariffs on U.S. products.

美國在世貿(mào)組織對(duì)加拿大、中國、歐盟、墨西哥以及土耳其分別發(fā)起訴訟。美國表示，這些國家對(duì)美國產(chǎn)品錯(cuò)誤地征收關(guān)稅。

The tariffs would involve a combined $28.5 billion worth of U.S. exports. They were ordered in reaction to U.S. tariffs announced in March. However, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer says the latest tariffs are illegal under WTO rules.

這些關(guān)稅涉及價(jià)值合計(jì)285億美元的美國出口貨物，下令征收這些關(guān)稅是為了回應(yīng)今年3月份美國宣布的關(guān)稅。然而，美國貿(mào)易代表萊特希澤表示，這些最新的關(guān)稅是非法的。

The Trump administration has said American national security interests justified tariffs it placed on imported aluminum and steel products. It said the tariffs are meant to protect the U.S. steel and aluminum industries from low-cost imports from other countries.

川普政府表示，美國的國家安全利益證明了他們對(duì)鋼鋁產(chǎn)品征收關(guān)稅的正當(dāng)性。該國表示，這些關(guān)稅旨在保護(hù)美國鋼鋁產(chǎn)業(yè)免受其它國家低成本進(jìn)口的沖擊。

But the administration argues the tariffs put in place by the four countries and the EU are not permitted because they are not based on national security.

但是美國政府辯稱，歐盟和這4個(gè)國家實(shí)施的關(guān)稅是不允許的，因?yàn)樗鼈儾皇且試野踩珵榛A(chǔ)。

Under WTO rules, countries decide what their national security interests are. But the group also dissuades countries from overuse of that justification to avoid abuses.

根據(jù)世貿(mào)組織規(guī)則，各國自行決定其國家安全利益所在。但是該組織也勸誡各國不要過度使用這種正當(dāng)理由以避免濫用。

Lighthizer said, "Instead of working with us to address a common problem, some of our trading partners have elected to respond with retaliatory tariffs designed to punish American workers, farmers and companies."

萊特希澤表示：“我們的一些貿(mào)易伙伴不是跟我們合作來解決這個(gè)普遍問題，而是選擇以旨在懲罰美國工人、農(nóng)民和企業(yè)的報(bào)復(fù)性關(guān)稅作為回應(yīng)。”

What is the WTO?

什么是世貿(mào)組織?

The World Trade Organization describes itself as the "only global international organization dealing with trade between nations."

世貿(mào)組織自稱為“唯一一家處理國家間貿(mào)易的全球性國際組織”。

There are trade agreements between countries or groups of countries that also set rules for international trade. These include the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA.

各國以及國家集團(tuán)之間的貿(mào)易協(xié)議也制定了一些國際貿(mào)易的規(guī)則，其中包括北美自由貿(mào)易協(xié)定。

But WTO officials point out that these agreements are not designed to deal with big issues that affect many countries or individual industries across borders.

但是世貿(mào)組織官員指出，這些協(xié)議并非旨在解決影響多個(gè)國家或單個(gè)跨國行業(yè)的重大問題。

The WTO was established in 1995 following years of negotiations. The talks began at the end of World War Two and involved more than one hundred countries. The group has added more large economies in recent years including China in 2001, Vietnam in 2007 and Russia in 2012.

世貿(mào)組織經(jīng)過多年談判于1995年成立。這些談判始于二戰(zhàn)結(jié)束，涉及了100多個(gè)國家。該組織近年新增了更多大的經(jīng)濟(jì)體，其中包括2001年中國加入，2007年越南以及2012年俄羅斯加入。

The body, which is based in Geneva, has a General Council that includes all its members. The Council carries out the business of negotiating, observing trade conditions and settling disputes among members in addition to other activities.

該機(jī)構(gòu)總部設(shè)在日內(nèi)瓦，設(shè)有一個(gè)包括所有成員的總理事會(huì)。除了其它活動(dòng)，該理事會(huì)還開展商業(yè)談判、監(jiān)測貿(mào)易狀況以及解決成員國之間的糾紛。

Below the General Council are many committees that specialize in the complex issues of trade in goods, services and intellectual property.

總理事會(huì)下設(shè)多個(gè)委員會(huì)，專攻商品、服務(wù)或知識(shí)產(chǎn)權(quán)貿(mào)易等復(fù)雜問題。

Decisions in the WTO are "generally made by consensus," meaning all members must agree. And, all members have an equal vote.

世貿(mào)組織的決定通常是以協(xié)商一致的方式作出的，這意味著必須獲得所有成員認(rèn)可。而且所有成員擁有同等投票權(quán)。

The latest disputes over U.S. tariffs have set off measures and counter-measures by the countries including China, the EU and Canada.

最近關(guān)于美國關(guān)稅的爭端引發(fā)包括中國、歐盟和加拿大在內(nèi)的國家采取應(yīng)對(duì)措施。

Mexico is one of the countries the U.S. has included in its WTO dispute action. Mexico's economy minister said the country would defend itself in the trade body against the latest U.S. actions.

墨西哥也是美國納入其世貿(mào)組織爭端訴訟的國家之一。墨西哥經(jīng)濟(jì)部長表示，該國將會(huì)在該貿(mào)易機(jī)構(gòu)對(duì)美國這一最新訴訟作出辯護(hù)。

The ministry said in a statement, "U.S. purchases of Mexican steel and aluminum do not represent a national security threat to that country."

該部長在一份聲明中表示，“美國購買墨西哥鋼鋁產(chǎn)品并不代表是對(duì)該國國家安全的威脅。”

On Monday, the International Monetary Fund warned that growing trade conflicts could harm the world's economic recovery.

國際貨幣基金組織周一警告說，日益加劇的貿(mào)易沖突可能會(huì)損害世界經(jīng)濟(jì)復(fù)蘇。

The IMF continues to predict world economic growth will reach 3.9 percent in 2019. But it warned, "The risk of worse outcomes has increased."

世貿(mào)組織仍然預(yù)測2019年全球經(jīng)濟(jì)增長率將會(huì)達(dá)到3.9%。但它警告說，“結(jié)局惡化的風(fēng)險(xiǎn)增加了。”

Maurice Obstfeld is the chief economist for the IMF. He said the tariffs make the U.S. a target of trade actions if trade disputes continue to expand.

莫里斯·奧伯斯法爾德(Maurice Obstfeld)是國際貨幣基金組織首席經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)家。他說，如果貿(mào)易爭端繼續(xù)擴(kuò)大，這些關(guān)稅將會(huì)使得美國成為貿(mào)易行動(dòng)的目標(biāo)。

"The United States finds a relatively high share of its exports taxed in global markets in such a broader trade conflict," he said.

他說：“在如此廣泛的貿(mào)易沖突中，美國會(huì)發(fā)現(xiàn)其出口稅率在全球市場上會(huì)相對(duì)較高。”

I'm Mario Ritter.

馬里奧·里特報(bào)道。