美國人熱評中國和澳大利亞簽署自由貿易協議

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — China and Australia signed a preliminary free-trade deal on Monday that would give Australia's service industry unsurpassed access to the Chinese market and Australian agriculture advantages over competitors from the United States, Canada and the European Union, officials said.

堪培拉，澳大利亞聯合通訊社-中國和澳大利亞在週一簽訂了一項初步的自由貿易協議，這將給予澳大利亞服務業非常好的進入中國市場的機會，而且澳大利亞的農業優於來自美國，加拿大和歐盟的競爭對手，官方如此說道。

Xi earlier told Australia's Parliament that China was committed to peaceful development and resolution of territorial disputes. But China expected some concern about its rise because "it's like a big guy in the crowd."Chinese President Xi Jinping witnessed the signing by Australian and Chinese officials of a declaration of intent which officially concluded negotiations that began in 2005.

習在早些時候在澳大利亞國會說：中國承諾和平發展，和平解決領土爭議。但是中國預期自己的崛起會得到一些關注，“就像一個大傢伙在人羣中。”中國主席Xi見證了澳大利亞和中國政府關於官方意圖的宣言的簽署，這其中包括的談判從2005年就開始了。

"Others will naturally wonder how the big guy will move and act and be concerned that the big guy may push them around, stand in their way, or even take up their place," he said.

“其他人自然會奇怪這個大傢伙會怎麼行動，會想到這個大傢伙可能會排擠他們，會阻礙他們的道路，甚至會佔據他們的地盤兒。”習這麼說道。

The deal between Australia and its largest trading partner will make 85 percent of goods exports tariff-free from the outset, rising to 93 percent four years later, the Australian government said. The government did not reveal what proportion of Australian goods exports are currently tariff-free.

澳大利亞和他最大的貿易伙伴的協議開始生效後將使85%出口貨物免稅，這一數據可能在四年後增加到93%，澳大利亞政府這樣說道。澳政府並沒有透露目前澳大利亞免稅的出口貨物所佔的比重。

In return, Australia will lift the threshold at which privately-owned Chinese companies can invest in non-sensitive areas without government scrutiny from 248 million Australian dollars ($218 million) to AU$1,078 million. Tariffs on Chinese manufactured goods would also be lifted.

作爲回報，澳大利亞將降低中國私營企業的門檻使其在非敏感區域沒有政府詳細審查的情況下進行2.48億澳元（2.18億美元）至10.78億澳元的投資。中國成品貨物的關稅也會降低。

Trade Minister Andrew Robb said the pact would be signed next year and take effect as early as March if it is endorsed by the Australian Parliament by then.

貿易部長安德魯·羅伯說這項協定將會在明年簽署並最早在3月份生效如果那時澳大利亞國會批准的話。

Australia had "secured the best-ever market access provided to a foreign country by China on services," such as banks, universities and health care providers, he said.

澳大利亞確保在服務業上和中國一起給外國提供最好的市場，例如銀行，大學和衛生保健。

The removal of tariffs on Australian farm products would give Australia an advantage over U.S., Canadian and E.U. competitors while negating advantages New Zealand and Chile have enjoyed through their free-trade deals with China, he said.

免去關稅的澳洲農產品會使澳洲擁有比美國，加拿大和歐盟更大的競爭優勢，不可否認的是新西蘭和智力會享受他們與中國的自貿協議。

Sticking points in the negotiations were Chinese protection of its rice, cotton, wheat, sugar and oil seed industries and demands for less Australian government restrictions on Australian companies and assets being sold to Chinese state-owned businesses. Robb said those were excluded from the agreement, which will be renegotiated in three years.

談判的瓶頸在於中國人保護其大米，棉花，小麥和油籽行業，以及中國對一些被澳洲政府限制出售給中國國有企業的澳洲公司和資產有需求。羅伯說這些被排除在協議之外的東西將會在三年內重新協商。

Xi said two-way trade grew from $86 million in the early years after Australia recognized communist China in 1972 to $136 billion last year.

習說澳中雙邊貿易從1972年澳大利亞認可共產主義中國時的8600萬美元增長到了去年的1360億美元。

Rob said no modeling had been done on the value of the free-trade deal. He did not know whether Australia's trade surplus with China, driven by Chinese demand for iron ore and coal, would change as a result of the deal.

羅伯說自貿協議的價值無可比擬。他不知道澳大利亞同中國的貿易順差，受中國對鐵礦和煤炭的需求，協議的最終結果可能會改變。