政治外交口译实践:第一篇(英译汉)Passage 1 (E---C)

第一篇（英译汉）Passage 1 (E---C)

相关词语 Related Words and Expressions

seamless 无裂缝的；妥善的

euphoria 　欢快心情，愉快感

dent 减少；冲淡

downturn 下滑

financial turmoil 金融风暴

solid promises 　充分保证

separate customs territory 　 独立关税区

per capita GDP 　人均境内生产总值

entrepreneurial spirit 创业精神

prudent financial management 审慎的财政管理

budget surpluses 　预算结余

fiscal year 　 财政年度

astounding 令人震惊的

robust 强健的

monolithic giant 　 像岩石一样的巨人

life expectancy rate 　 人的预期寿命

child mortality rate 　 婴儿死亡率

subsistence level 　贫困线

tribute to 　 归功于

depreciate currency 货币贬值

current account surplus 活期存款结余

fiscal deficit 财政赤字

Maastricht criteria 马斯特里赫特条约的标准。

(The following are excerpts from Hong Kong’s Chief Executive Tung Chee Hwa’s speech one year after its return to China.)

What has happened since Hong Kong’s return to China? 1997 was an extraordinary year for Hong Kong. July 1st saw the smooth and seamless return of Hong Kong to China, thereby ending 156 years of colonial rule. Indeed, the people of Hong Kong had looked forward to this great occasion with immense pride; pride in that we were at last reunited with our own country, and have become masters of our own destiny.

Hong Kong has indeed been moving forward with pride and confidence since the successful reunification, although the euphoria has been dented by the severe economic downturn as a result of the Asian financial turmoil. We are particularly pleased with the solid foundation now being laid for the concept of ‘one country, two systems’. What is the basis of this particular confidence?

The ultimate source of our confidence in this respect is, of course, the solid promises of the constitutional document, our Basic Law. It is a comprehensive document drafted by the people of Hong Kong together with people from the mainland of China after some four years of consultation and discussion. The Basic Law provides a constitutional framework for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. It clearly prescribes that the social, economic and political systems in Hong Kong will be different from those on the mainland of China. It protects the rights, freedoms and lifestyle of Hong Kong people. It allows us complete financial autonomy and it establishes Hong Kong as a separate customs territory.

Now, let me talk about Hong Kong. Over the past decades, Hong Kong has achieved, in every respect, most enviable success. At US$25,000, our per capita GDP is the second highest in Asia. This has been achieved principally because of the hard work and entrepreneurial spirit of the people of Hong Kong. This has also been made possible because of the past 20 years of rapid and successful economic development on the mainland of China, which has given our economy boundless opportunities to move forward.

The success has also been made possible because we are committed strongly to prudent financial management. We have consistently been able to achieve budget surpluses averaging 2 per cent of our GDP. For the past fiscal year which ended March 31, our budget surplus was at an astounding level of 5.8 per cent of GDP. Our robust financial system and monetary management mechanism, modern and prudent supervision as well as sophisticated financial infrastructure have laid a solid foundation for a stable exchange rate.

As Chinese, we are proud of the return of Hong Kong to China. I am Chinese, and our patriotic feeling is something very natural to us. Some in the West today tend to define China through specific human rights issues. Others feel a sense of threat in China’s rising prosperity. We in Hong Kong feel differently. What is happening in China is not a change to a monolithic giant, but a transformation of the lives of millions of men and women. They are being lifted out of poverty, and given opportunities that they never had before.

China’s life expectancy rate, child mortality rate as well as adult literacy rate have improved significantly. The percentage of people living at or below subsistence level in China has decreased from 33 per cent in 1979 to a single-digit level today. The scale of transformation surpasses anything that has ever happened to men and women like you and myself. It is a process that warms the heart of everyone concerned for basic human condition.

China has undergone dramatic changes since she opened up to the outside world in 1976. Her achievements are for everybody to see. This is a tribute to the vitality and energy of the Chinese people and the vision of the leaders, who have guided these developments.

China’s Ninth National People’s Congress gave a very clear vision for the 21st Century. The country is determined to continue the process of reform, particularly in the banking sector and in the state enterprises. There is also commitment to reduce the size of the bureaucracy, to fight corruption and to continue the march towards a free market economy. In a book published by the World Bank entitled ‘China 2020’ it is projected that China may well become the second-largest economy in the world by that time.

The question has often been asked: “Will China need to depreciate its currency, the Renminbi?” In my view, the answer is no. China’s leaders have committed not to devalue the RMB and China is acting responsibly as an important member of the community of nations of the world. Indeed, another round of devaluation is not helpful to anybody.

But let me give you some financial data which you may find interesting. In 1997, China’s growth in exports was 20.9 per cent, recording a trade surplus of US$40 billion. Its current account surplus was 3.3 per cent of GDP and its foreign currency reserves stood at US$ 140 billion --- the second largest in the world.

In 1997, China’s GDP grew at 9 per cent and its inflation grew at 2.8 per cent. Its fiscal deficit was at 0.8 per cent of GDP. Its total domestic debt was less than 20 per cent of GDP. Indeed, if you look at these figures, China also meets all the Maastricht criteria which have been laid down for introduction to the European Monetary Union.

With the devaluation in many Asian currencies, China’s competitiveness will suffer somewhat. Trade surplus will decline, but on the whole, I believe, China will continue to be competitive. The competitiveness of China is based on broader structural factors, including underlying costs, market leadership and the trade policies of major importers.

China has established market leadership over a variety of products. It is difficult to see this dominant position being significantly eroded, particularly with the existence of international trade barriers which limit the extent of the possible shift of export orders from China to other Asian economies. In fact, only in the last two weeks, many of the entrepreneurs in Hong Kong involved in manufacturing across the border --- and please remember Hong Kong manufacturers employ more than 4,000,000 people across the border in the Pearl River Delta --- told me they remain very competitive in their costs.

Hong Kong and the mainland of China, today, serve as an anchor for stability in Asia. In the longer term, I know China will march from strength to strength. I am convinced that the region will emerge from the turmoil and become even more successful than before.