澳大利亞有望批准澳中貿易協定

Australia is poised to ratify a trade deal with China after the opposition Labor party proposed a compromise to address fears that projects enabled by the treaty would favour Chinese workers.

澳大利亞正準備批准該國與中國達成的一個貿易協定，此前反對黨工黨提出一個妥協方案，以化解澳方對於該協定帶來的項目將優先僱用中國工人的擔心。

The breakthrough comes as Malcolm Turnbull, the prime minister, seeks to build a national consensus on reforms to stimulate growth even as the economy of China, Australia’s biggest trading partner, slows.

取得這一突破之際，澳大利亞總理馬爾科姆•特恩布爾(Malcolm Turnbull)正尋求就刺激經濟增長的改革凝聚全國共識，當前的背景是澳大利亞最大的貿易伙伴中國的經濟正在放緩。

The trade deal, which was signed in June but requires legislation, would cut tariffs and remove other impediments to Australian exports while relaxing rules on Chinese inward investment. It underpins a deepening relationship between Canberra and Beijing in which Australia this year joined the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank against the wishes of the US, its key ally.

6月簽署、但需要立法的這個貿易協定，將爲澳大利亞的出口削減關稅並消除其他障礙，同時放鬆針對中國對澳投資的規則。它夯實了堪培拉與北京之間不斷深化的關係。今年澳大利亞不顧關鍵盟友美國的反對，加入了中國主導的亞洲基礎設施投資銀行（Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank，簡稱“亞投行”）。

Labor’s compromise, which follows a campaign by unions against the treaty, would mean amending domestic laws rather than the trade deal. The party wants employers seeking workers for projects enabled under the deal to be required to advertise locally before recruiting abroad. It also wants workers in trades such as electrics or plumbing to obtain an Australian occupational licence or registration within 60 days of arrival.

在多個工會舉行了反對澳中貿易協定的抗議活動後，工黨提出的妥協方案將意味着修訂國內法律，而不是貿易協定。該黨希望，該協定帶來的項目的僱主在物色工人時，必須首先在澳大利亞做廣告，然後才從國外招人。該黨還提出，電工或管道工之類的技術工人必須申請獲得澳大利亞職業執照，或者在抵達後60天內註冊。

The looming removal of barriers to trade with China comes as Australia’s resource-rich economy faces its greatest challenge since the global financial crisis. Sharp falls in the value of its main exports and concerns about the health of the Chinese economy have dented business confidence and caused economic growth to slow to about 2 per cent, below a long-term trend above 3 per cent.

對華貿易的壁壘有望清除之際，澳大利亞的資源型經濟面臨着自全球金融危機以來最大的挑戰。該國主要出口的價值大幅下跌，加上人們對中國經濟健康狀況的關切，已削弱了商業信心，導致經濟增長放緩至大約2%，低於3%以上的長期趨勢。