商务英语考试(BEC)中级读新闻_练BEC中级阅读(中英文对照)5

BEC中级阅读 全球去年FDI创1.5万亿美元新高，联合国(UN)初步数据显示，去年全球外国直接投资(FDI)猛增至创纪录的1.5万亿美元，超过此前于2000年创下的1.4万亿美元峰值水平。Worldwide foreign direct investment surged to a record $1,500bn last year, surpassing the previous peak of $1,400bn in 2000, according to preliminary UN figures. 联合国贸易和发展会议(Unctad)在昨日发布的中示，去年下半年的金融震荡并未冲击总体外国直接投资流动，不过2008年的前景更加不确定。The UN Conference on Trade and Development said in its report released yesterday that financial turmoil in the second half of last year had not hit overall FDI flows, although the outlook for 2008 was more uncertain. 美元走软可能鼓励了流入美国的外国投资，由于企业和其它持有不断升值货币的投资者纷纷抢购廉价美国资产，美国成为外国直接投资的最大接收国，吸引外国直接投资估计达1930亿美元。Dollar weakness may have encouraged inward investment to the US, the largest recipient attracting an estimated $193bn (€131bn, ￡98bn) in FDI, as companies and other investors with funds in appreciating currencies snapped up cheap American assets. 2007年富国和穷国吸引的外国直接投资都出现强劲增长，其中三分之二流向工业化国家，剩余三分之一流向发展中国家和俄罗斯等“转型”国家。Rich and poor countries alike saw strong growth in FDI in 2007, with two-thirds going to industrialized nations and the rest to developing and “transition” countries such as Russia. 受飞速发展的能源行业推动，去年外国对俄罗斯的投资跃升70%，至近500亿美元。Foreign investment in Russia, propelled by its booming energy sector, jumped 70 per cent last year to nearly $50bn. 联合国贸易和发展会议表示，外国直接投资反映出全球许多地区的强劲经济表现，以及在企业利润高企和收购资金充裕的推动下，跨境并购活动活跃。Unctad said the growth in FDI reflected a strong economic performance in many parts of the world and buoyant cross-border mergers and acquisitions activity fuelled by high corporate profits and an abundance of cash for purchases. 然而，在去年夏天的信贷紧缩之后，2007年下半年的并购交易额有所下降。联合国贸易和发展会议警告，世界经济各种下行风险可能影响2008年的前景。However, the value of M&As declined in the second half of 2007 following the summer’s credit squeeze. Various downside risks for the world economy could affect prospects for 2008, Unctad warned. “全球外部失衡持续存在、汇率大幅波动、利率不断上升和通胀压力不断加剧，以及大宗商品价格高企和波动，造成的风险可能对全球外国直接投资流动产生降温影响。”“Continuing global external imbalances, sharp exchange rate fluctuations, rising interest rates and increasing inflationary pressures, as well as high and volatile commodity prices, pose risks that may have a chilling effect on global FDI flows.” 英国紧随美国之后，以1710亿美元的外国直接投资流入，成为去年第二大新增外国投资接收国，法国以1230亿美元位居第三。欧盟(EU)是吸引外国直接投资最多的地区，占2007年全部外国投资额的40%。After the US, the UK was the second biggest host to new foreign investment last year with FDI inflows of $171bn, followed by France at $123bn. The European Union was the largest host region, accounting for 40 per cent of all inflows in 2007. 中国仍然是发展中国家中吸引外国直接投资最多的国家，其金额从2006年的690亿美元，略微下滑至670亿美元，但香港吸引的投资从430亿美元上升至540亿美元，增幅逾四分之一。巴西、墨西哥和新加坡并列第三，去年均吸引了约370亿美元的外国直接投资。FDI flows to China, still the biggest recipient among developing countries, de-clined slightly from $69bn in 2006 to $67bn, but investment in Hong Kong was up by more than a quarter from $43bn to $54bn. In equal third place, Brazil, Mexico and Singapore all netted about $37bn in FDI last year. 纳斯达克CEO称交易所面临电子交易商竞争 纳斯达克(Nasdaq)首席执行官鲍勃?格雷菲尔德(Bob Greifeld)日前预测，尽管全球证券交易所行业的大型参与者试图整合该行业，但业内将继续分化。The global stock exchange industry will see continued fragmentation in spite of attempts to consolidate it by large sector participants, the head of the Nasdaq Stock Market has forecast. 格雷菲尔德表示，未来将出现越来越多“类似于交易所”的机构，从而加剧该行业的竞争。“最近的监管变革实际上允许电子通信网络和其它规模较小的机构参与竞争，”他向英国《金融时报》表示。 Bob Greifeld said more and more “exchange-like” institutions will emerge in the coming months and years, adding competition to the business. “Recent regulatory changes essentially allow electronic communications networks and other smaller players to compete,” he told the Financial Times. 他指出，所谓的“暗流动性池”( dark liquidity pools)——投资者在公开市场以外进行交易——等非传统竞争渠道正日益受到青睐，这表明，尽管交易所行业出现了大量合并案，但分化仍在加剧。He pointed to the growing popularity of non-traditional sources of competition such as so-called “dark liquidity pools” – where investors trade outside the public markets – as evidence that in spite of a spate of exchange mergers, fragmentation was increasing. 降息不是解决信贷市场动荡的办法 亿万富翁基金经理雷伊o戴利奥(Ray Dalio)表示，降息不是解决目前信贷市场动荡问题的方法。戴利奥是最近数月为美国联邦储备委员会(Federal Reserve)提供建议的专家之一。Ray Dalio, the billionaire fund manager who was among the experts to advise the US Federal Reserve in recent months, has said interest rate cuts are not the solution to the turmoil in the credit markets. 基金公司Bridgewater Associates创始人和首席财务官戴利奥表示，实际上，长期解决方法将涉及汇率政策--比如中国人民币升值--以解决美国的贸易失衡问题。Rather, Mr Dalio, founder and chief investment officer of money manager Bridgewater Associates, said the longer-term solution would involve currency policies - such as a revaluation of the Chinese renminbi - to address the US's trade imbalance. "我们当前的信贷问题是国际收支问题的另一个方面，"他向英国《金融时报》表示："这个世界一直充斥着流动性，资金不断从国外涌入，大量资金不得不迅速投资到位。""Our current credit problems are the flip side of our balance of payments problem," he told the Financial Times. "The world has been awash with liquidity and money has been pouring in from abroad, so lots of money had to get invested fast. "美元作为全球主要的储备货币，加之主要盈余国家的货币盯住美元，这催生了以美元计价的债务泡沫--即大量不负责任的美元贷款。此轮抵押贷款危机仅仅是这个问题的表象之一。""The dollar being the world's dominant reserve currency, coupled with the major surplus countries having their currencies pegged to the dollar, has led to a dollar denominated debt bubble - a lot of irresponsible lending in dollars. The mortgage crisis is just one reflection of this." 戴利奥运呼吁美联储停止降息，并为美国经济增长设立一个"现实的"目标：每年增长2.2%。这将是上世纪30年代以来的最低水平，同时也低于美联储2.5%的目标增长率。Mr Dalio called for the Fed to stop cutting interest rates and to set a "realistic" target rate for US growth of 2.2 per cent a year. That would be the lowest since the 1930s, and below the 2.5 per cent that is the Fed's target. 戴利奥表示，为了双方的利益，中国需要调高人民币兑美元汇率。China needed to revalue its currency against the US dollar for the benefit of both countries, said Mr Dalio. "（人民币）之所以处于目前的水平，是源自于一些历史原因，而它们不再适用，也是不可持续的。"他表示。"The RMB is where it is because of historical reasons that no longer apply and are unsustainable," he said. "之所以说美元兑人民币及其他新兴市场货币贬值既有利于他们，也有利于我们，是因为我们有着相反的担忧--他们担心自己的经济过热和国外资产不断累积，而我们则担心本国的经济走软和我们的海外债务不断累积。"他表示。"The reason a dollar devaluation against China's currency and other emerging market currencies is now good for both them and us is that we have exactly opposite concerns - they are concerned about their economy overheating and their foreign assets building up while we are concerned about our economy weakening and our foreign liabilities building up," he said. 油价推助粮食期货价格飙升 在原油价格飙升至每桶100美元后，农业大宗产品价格昨日升至多年高点，因交易员预计来自日益扩大的全球生物燃料行业的需求将会增加。Agricultural commodities rose to multi-year highs yesterday following crude oil’s surge to $100 a barrel as traders anticipated higher demand from the expanding global biofuels industry. 在芝加哥，小麦期货价格上涨16美分至每蒲式耳9.31美元，距离其历史高点59美分，而大豆期货价格升至12.38美元，创下34年新高，玉米期货价格距近期创下的11年高位仅咫尺之遥。In Chicago, wheat jumped 16 cents to $9.31 a bushel, 59 cents below its all-time high, while soyabeans rose to $12.38, a fresh 34-year high, and corn traded within touching distance of its recent 11-year high. 在巴黎，油菜籽价格升至历史高点，上涨1.5%至每吨444.75欧元，而马来西亚棕榈油期货昨日上探每吨961美元的历史高点。In Paris, rapeseed prices rose to record levels, up 1.5 per cent to €444.75 a tonne, while Malaysian palm oil futures also hit a record $961 a tonne yesterday. 由于粮食和油菜籽是生物燃料的关键原料，油价上涨给农业大宗商品价格带来了巨大的推动力。2007年，农业大宗商品市场的回报水平为近30年来最高。普尔GSCI农业大宗商品指数去年的涨幅为31%，为1981年以来的最佳水平。As grains and oil seeds are key feedstuffs for biofuels, the oil price rise has exerted a huge push on agricultural commodities, which enjoyed their best returns for almost 30 years in 2007. The S&P GSCI agricultural commodities index returned 31 per cent last year, its best performance since 1981. 人口增长以及对动物饲料的需求也为农产品价格提供了支撑。Support is also coming from population growth and demand for animal feed. 高盛(Goldman Sachs)大宗商品研究主管杰弗里?柯里(Jeffrey Currie)表示：“在食品、饲料和燃料方面对农作物的需求混合在一起，造成了对农产品需求增长趋势的上行变化。”“This combination of food, feed and fuel demand for crops has created an upward shift in the trend demand growth for agriculture products,” said Jeffrey Currie, head of commodities research at Goldman Sachs. 他表示，到2010年，全球生物燃料需求可能从2005年的每年100亿加仑增至每年250亿加仑，折合为年率每年增长20%。He said global biofuel demand could increase from 10bn gallons a year in 2005 to 25bn gallons annually by 2010, an annualised growth rate of 20 per cent. 由于供应方面不尽人意及需求不断上升，许多农产品市场的库存水平降至历史低点，这使得价格很容易受到上行冲击的影响。As a result of supply disappointments and rising demand, stocks have fallen to historic lows in many agricultural markets, leaving prices very susceptible to upward price shocks. 许多师认为，此轮农业大宗商品的上涨才刚刚开始。Many analysts believe the rally for agricultural commodities is only just beginning. 中国理财产品销售量大幅飙升 中国银行业监管机构昨日表示，随着各银行扩大产品种类，2007年最后一个季度中国个人理财产品销售额大幅飙升。Sales of individual wealth management products in China shot up in the last quarter of 2007 as banks expanded their product offerings, the banking regulator said yesterday. 截至9月底，60家银行业金融机构推出了个人理财服务，如共同基金、保险产品和离岸投资产品。By the end of September there were 60 banking institutions in China offering individual wealth management services such as mutual funds, insurance products and offshore investments. 2007年前三个季度，各银行此类产品销售总额为6000亿元人民币（合820亿美元）。 Together China’s banks sold Rmb600bn ($82bn) worth of such products in the first three quarters of 2007. 但中国银监会(CBRC)表示，预计2007年全年销售总量将达1万亿元人民币，原因是有更多的理财产品面世，同时客户将资金从生息的定期存款中转出。But the China Banking Regulatory Commission (CBRC) said it expected that figure had jumped to Rmb1,000bn by the end of the year as more products became available and customers shifted money out of interest-bearing time deposits. 2007年11月份，中国通货膨胀率创下6.9%的11年高点，而一年期存款利率仅为4.14%，中国投资者面临着实际利率为负的局面，他们一直在寻求银行存款的替代品。With inflation hitting an 11-year high of 6.9 per cent in November and the one-year deposit rate at only 4.14 per cent, Chinese investors are faced with negative real interest rates and have been looking for alternatives to bank deposits. 中国国内银行传统上依赖存贷款利差，目前政府正鼓励它们进行多样化调整。中国存贷款利率由央行制定，以确保国有银行能够盈利。The government is actively encouraging Chinese banks to diversify from their traditional reliance on the spread between deposit and loan interest rates, which are set by the central bank to ensure profitability at the state-owned lenders. 去年6月份，银监会为大中型国有银行制定了目标，力争在未来5年至10年，中间收入在总收入中所占比重从目前的17 %左右升至40%-50%。In June last year the CBRC set a target for large and medium-sized state-owned banks to increase their fee-based income from about 17 per cent of their total now to 40-50 per cent within the next five to 10 years. 多数全球规模最大的银行都在中国设立了业务，而去年，包括渣打银行(Standard Chartered)、瑞银(UBS)和汇丰(HSBC)在内的许多银行，已开始为拥有100万美元以上的客户提供私人银行服务。Most of the world’s largest banks have set up operations in China and many, including Standard Chartered, UBS and HSBC, began offering private banking services available to clients with $1m or more to invest, last year. 德意志银行(Deutsche Bank)昨日宣布，已在北京注册理财业务，从而可以提供包括人民币存款和贷款在内的更多服务。Deutsche Bank yesterday announced it had incorporated locally in Beijing, allowing it to offer more services, including renminbi deposit and lending services. 中国银监会昨日警告称，伴随着理财服务的增长，瞄准无知个人的欺诈案件数量也有所上升，此类案件的社会影响恶劣。The CBRC warned yesterday that the growth in wealth management services had been accompanied by a rise in the number of scams aimed at swindling ignorant individuals and that such cases have a profound effect on society at large. “中国、印度和俄罗斯污染最严重” 一项全球污染研究昨日发现，中国、印度和俄罗斯名列全球污染最严重地区之首。China, India and Russia top the list of the world’s most polluted places, a study of global pollution yesterday found. 在全球十大污染最严重的地区中，上述三个国家各占两个，而另外四个地区分别位于秘鲁、乌克兰、赞比亚和阿塞拜疆。The three countries are each home to two of the world’s top 10 polluted sites, while the others are in Peru, Ukraine, Zambia and Azerbaijan. 临汾和天津分别因空气质量糟糕和金属工业，成为中国污染最严重的城市。Sukinda和Vapi由于采矿业和一般工业，名列印度污染最严重地区榜首。金属冶炼中心诺里尔斯克和武器制造基地捷尔任斯克，是俄罗斯污染最严重的地区。Linfen and Tianjin are the worst polluted places in China because of poor air quality and the metal industry respectively. Sukinda and Vapi are the worst in India, the former because of mining and the latter from general industry. Norilsk, where metals are extracted, and Dzerzhinsk, home to weapons manufacture, are Russia’s most polluted locations. 铁匠研究所(Blacksmith Institute)发布了有关全球30个污染最严重地区的报告。该组织表示，不太可能将十大污染地区进行排序，因为每个地区的污染形式不同，而且在其地理和人口方面也存在很大差别。The Blacksmith Institute, which produced the report on the “dirty 30” most polluted places on the planet, said it was not possible to rank the top 10 in order because of the different forms of pollution in each place and because they differed widely in their geography and population. 铁匠研究所全球业务主管大卫?汉拉汉(David Hanrahan)表示：“这30个污染城市都对人类健康造成很大毒害。”“All sites in the dirty 30 are very toxic and dangerous to human health,” said David Hanrahan, director of global operations at Blacksmith. 该研究所所长理查德?富勒(Richard Fuller)称：“事实上，这些污染地区的儿童正罹患疾病，（有些人）生命垂危，而目前还没有解决这些问题的先进科学。”Richard Fuller, director of the institute, said: “The fact of the matter is that children are sick and dying in these polluted places and it’s not rocket science to fix them.” 报告发现，在30个污染最严重地区中，采矿业是污染最主要的原因，而金属冶炼、石化及其它工业也是污染的原因。Mining was found to be the most frequent cause of pollution in the dirty 30 but metals extraction, petrochemicals and other industries were also to blame. 空气污染最严重地区分别是中国的临汾、兰州和乌鲁木齐，俄罗斯的马格尼托哥尔斯克，以及墨西哥城。 The worst places for air pollution were Linfen, Lanzhou and Urumqi in China, Magnitogorsk in Russia and Mexico City. 肯尼亚的丹罗拉垃圾场也榜上有名，成为城市垃圾污染最严重的地区。The Dandora dump in Kenya made it on to the list for being the worst site polluted by urban waste. 乌克兰切尔诺贝利的核污染残留物使该地区进入十大污染城市之列，吉尔吉斯斯坦的梅鲁苏地区也因其核场所而上榜。Chernobyl’s legacy of nuclear contamination put the region in the top 10, and Mailuu-Suu in Kyrgyzstan was also judged one of the worst polluted for its nuclear site. 中国航空货运业“僧多粥少” 中国制造业的显著增长，促使航空货运公司争相发展其在华业务。然而，这可能成为一个业务规模扩张过大、速度过快的案例。 China’s spectacular manufacturing growth has left air freight carriers scrambling to develop their activities in the country. But it could be a case of too much, too soon. 两年前，从南京或上海空运货物至欧洲，每公斤运费高达4美元；如今的价格约为2.50美元。南京禄口机场副总经理徐勇表示：“在此项业务上仍有钱赚的航空公司非常少见。”Two years ago, flying goods from Nanjing or Shanghai to Europe cost up to $4 a kilogramme; today it the price is about $2.50. “Very few carriers are still making money here,’’ says Xu Yong, vice-president of Nanjing airport. 由于机队扩张速度继续超出需求，航空公司正加剧中国一些机场的拥堵问题。徐勇警告称：“我们现在的飞机数量实在是太多了。”As fleet expansion continues to outpace demand, carriers are adding to congestion problems at some Chinese airports. “We have just far too many planes now,’’ Mr Xu warns. 荷兰航空公司Martinair副总裁弗兰克?德容(Frank de Jong)表示，中国空运货物出口量正以每年约10%的速度增长，而飞机货物运力的增幅约为25%。Frank de Jong, vice-president at Martinair, the Dutch carrier, says the volume of Chinese exports by air is growing by about 10 per cent a year but aircraft cargo capacity is rising by about 25 per cent. 在亚洲，约半数货物在运输时都是放在定期客运航班的腹舱内。例如，在客运航空公司中，大韩航空(Korean Airlines)拥有全球规模最大的货运业务，其28%的收入来自航空货运业务。In Asia, about half of cargo transported is carried in the belly of regular passenger flights. Korean Airlines, for example, has the world’s largest cargo business among passenger airlines, with 28 per cent of its revenue coming from air freight. 在美国，大部分航空货运业务由以UPS和联邦快递(FedEx)为首的专业货运公司负责。中国政府最近已进一步放宽了对上述两家公司的准入限制。In the US, the bulk of air cargo is handled by the specialist freight industry, led by UPS and FedEx. The Chinese government has recently granted greater access to the two companies. 瑞士信贷(Credit Suisse)分析师彼得?希尔顿(Peter Hilton)表示：“美国公司可以向中国体系内注入更多运力，并承接向来由亚洲航空公司包揽的货运业务。”Peter Hilton, analyst at Credit Suisse, says: “The Americans are being allowed to inject more capacity into the Chinese system and moving goods that would have traditionally gone to Asian carriers.” 中国政府已加大其发展国内航空货运业的努力，鼓励国内航空公司与经验更为丰富的西方货运公司合作。而就在不久前，中国政府的重点还几乎全放在航空客运业的改革和扩张方面。Beijing has stepped up its efforts to develop a domestic air freight industry, encouraging its airlines to team up with more experienced Western cargo operators. Until recently, the Chinese government had instead focused almost exclusively on overhauling and expanding the passenger airline industry. 一位香港银行家表示：“从政治角度来看，运送旅客比运输货物更能建立声望，但政府已意识到，货运对出口驱动型的制造业领域至关重要。”A Hong Kong banker says: “Politically, there’s a lot more prestige in helping move people rather than goods, but the government has woken up to how crucial freight is for an export-led manufacturing sector.” 在中国内地直接出口的货物中，航空货运的比例日益增加，不仅对航空公司造成影响，还令新加坡和香港等航空货运中心感到忧虑。The growing proportion of air freight exported directly from the Chinese mainland is not only having an effect on the carriers, it is also worrying for cargo airport hubs such as Singapore and Hong Kong. 总部位于香港的国泰航空(Cathay Pacific)发现其货运业务有所放缓。国泰航空货运部门助理经理William Lo表示，来自中国（内地）的激烈竞争，意味着今年其收益可能增长1%至2%，而相比之下，去年的增幅为3%至6%。Cathay Pacific, the Hong Kong-based carrier, has seen a slowdown in its cargo business. William Lo, assistant manager in Cathay’s cargo division, says intense Chinese competition means yields are likely to rise 1-2 per cent this year, compared with 3-6 per cent last year. Martinair的德容表示：“目前香港不再制造任何东西，相反，我们看到其周边的这些内地新机场正在发展。显然它们正在分一杯羹。”Mr de Jong from Martinair says: “Nothing is produced any more in Hong Kong and what we’re seeing instead is all these new Chinese airports growing around it. Obviously they’re taking a piece of the cake.” 深圳机场作为一个货运中心正在迅速发展，使人们将货物运到附近香港机场的动力有所减少。Shenzhen airport is developing rapidly as a cargo hub, reducing the incentive to transport goods across the border to neighbouring Hong Kong airport. 翡翠航空(Jade Cargo)是深圳航空与德国汉莎航空(Lufthansa)组建的合资企业，一年前开始运营，此后一直在以每三个月增加一架波音(Boeing)747飞机的速度扩大机队。Jade Cargo, a joint venture between Shenzhen Airlines and German airline Lufthansa, started flying a year ago and has since been adding aircraft at the rate of one Boeing 747 every three months. 翡翠航空营销总监托德? 希尔伯特(Todd Hilbrecht)预计，该航空公司将于2008年实现盈利。他表示：“过去数月（我们的业务）略有放缓，但并不至于造成业务亏损。” Todd Hilbrecht, Jade’s marketing director, expects the airline to become profitable in 2008. He says: “There’s been a slight slowdown in the past months, but not enough to make this a money-losing venture.’’ 尽管从南京及其它内地机场运输货物的费用大幅下降，但燃料价格居高不下，继续使得通过船舶运输大型货物比空运更具吸引力。Although the cost of shipping goods from Nanjing and other mainland airports has fallen dramatically, high fuel prices continue to make it more attractive to ship large cargo by sea rather than air. 一位业内高管表示：“油价肯定可以抵消运输时间问题的影响。”本月油价一度上探每桶78.77美元的名义历史高位。“The oil price can certainly offset the issue of delivery time,’’ says one industry executive. This month oil has tested its nominal all-time high of $78.77 a barrel. Motonari Chiaki是美国航空公司Polar Air Cargo的业务拓展经理。该公司运营着每周从上海和北京出港的14次航班。Motonari Chiaki is business development manager at Polar Air Cargo, a US carrier that operates 14 flights a week out of Shanghai and Beijing. 他表示：“我认为，许多人不能马上从中国赚到钱。我们仍在赚钱，但是越来越辛苦。”He says: ”I don’t think many people are making money out of China right now. We still do but it’s getting pretty tough.” 中国内地信用卡发行量去年翻倍 今日将发布的一份报告显示，过去一年，中国的信用卡发行量增长了逾一倍，中国正在形成信用卡文化。 The number of credit cards in circulation in China has more than doubled over the past year to more than 40m as a credit culture begins to take shape in the country, according to a report released today. 咨询公司麦肯锡(McKinsey)发布的报告显示，中国内地的信用卡普及率仍然远低于台湾和香港等可比地区，从而为信用卡行业留下了巨大的发展潜力。到2013年，该行业利润将达130亿元人民币（合17.3亿美元）。Penetration rates remain well below those in comparable societies like Taiwan and Hong Kong, leaving huge potential for an industry that should provide Rmb13bn ($1.73bn) in profits by 2013, according to the report from McKinsey, the consultancy. 不过，跨国银行仍然被禁止在中国内地发行信用卡，而中国国内银行的信用卡业务也仍未实现盈利。But international banks re- main barred from issuing credit cards in China and the card business is still unprofitable for domestic banks. 该行业的增长潜力加大了中国政府的压力，迫使其出台外资银行期待已久的规定，允许它们在中国内地发行信用卡，从而兑现中国在加入世贸组织(WTO)时做出的在2006年底之前向外资提供“国民待遇”的承诺。 The sector’s growing potential increases pressure on Beijing to implement long-awaited rules allowing foreign banks to issue cards, in keeping with its World Trade Organisation accession commitment to provide “national treatment” by the end of 2006. 分析师表示，中国政府正在保护内地银行在这个初生行业中的利益，但预计很快就将向汇丰银行(HSBC)和花旗银行(Citibank)等外国银行业集团开放市场准入。目前，这些外资银行仅获准与中国内地合作伙伴发行联名信用卡。Analysts say the government is protecting domestic banks in the fledgling sector but is soon expected to open it to foreign banking groups such as HSBC and Citibank, which are now only allowed to offer co-branded cards with domestic partners. 过去数年，中国政府一直鼓励发展消费信用行业，以促进私人消费，同时平衡中国严重依赖固定资产投资的快速经济增长。For the last few years Beijing has encouraged the creation of a consumer credit industry to promote private consumption and rebalance China’s rapid economic growth, which relies heavily on fixed asset investment. 报告估计，过去4年，中国内地真正意义上信用卡的数量每年都实现了翻番，截至今年年中达到4300万张左右。The report estimates the num- ber of true credit cards in China doubled for each of the last four years to reach about 43m by the middle of this year. 随着必需的支付基础设施在全国迅速扩张，中国消费者使用信用卡购买商品和服务的数量正迅速上升。As the necessary payment infrastructure expands rapidly across the country, Chinese consumers are using credit cards to pay for an increasing array of goods and services. 英国人热衷创业 一项国际调查发现，去年，全球最富裕国家大多出现了初创企业数量下降的趋势，但英国人却创业热情高涨。 Enthusiasm for entrepreneurship last year helped the UK to buck the trend for falls in the number of start-ups in the world's richest countries, an international survey has found. 《全球创业观察》(Global Entrepreneurship Monitor)发现，在美国，创业者占成年人口的比例从12.4%降至10%，加拿大从9.3%降至7.1%，法国则从5.4%降至4.4%。《全球创业观察》是全球最全面的有关早期创业活动的研究报告。 The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, the most comprehensive study of early-stage start-up activity, found the proportion of adults creating businesses dropped from 12.4 per cent to 10 per cent in the US, 9.3 per cent to 7.1 per cent in Canada and 5.4 per cent to 4.4 per cent in France. 而在英国，该比例仅从6.2%降至5.8%。这一降幅在统计上可谓微乎其微。In the UK, however, the decline - from 6.2 per cent to 5.8 per cent - was considered statistically insignificant. 《全球创业观察》报告作者、伦敦商学院(London Business School)的丽贝卡o哈丁(Rebecca Harding)表示，在英国有一股创业热潮，人们甚至将其称为"新型摇滚"。There is a buzz about entrepreneurship in the UK that has led some to call it the new rock'n'roll, according to Rebecca Harding, the GEM report's author at London Business School. 尽管英国创业者占成年人口的比例低于北美或中国和印度等新兴经济体，但仍高于欧洲其它国家。The proportion of adults starting businesses in the UK is higher than other European countries al- though it remains less than in north America or emerging economies, such as China and India. 哈丁表示："我认为我们现在还不够'摇滚'，但相比很多国家，我们已经很'摇滚'了。""I don't think we are rocking and rolling as much as we need to, but we have more rocking and rolling going on than many other countries," Ms Harding said. 年轻人的创业热情很高。尽管多数初创企业都是由35岁至44岁的人创办的，但在18岁至24岁的年轻人中，逾64%的人认为创业是一个不错的职业选择，80%的人认为企业家拥有较高的社会地位。 Young people are enthusiastic about entrepreneurship. Although most start-ups are created by people aged between 35 and 44, more than 64 per cent of 18- to 24-year-olds think entrepreneurship is a good career choice and 80 per cent think that entrepreneurs have a high status in society. 哈丁表示，英国潜在的创业者们长期以来一直因为惧怕失败而止步不前。但《全球创业观察》发现，这种担心可能毫无根据。Fear of failure has long held back would-be British entrepreneurs, according to Ms Harding. But GEM found such concerns could be unfounded. 在英国，93%的初创企业发展成为知名企业。这表明，多数初创企业都存活了下来。The proportion of people running established businesses in the UK is 93 per cent of the start-up rate, showing that most ventures survive. 在美国，仅有一半的知名企业为初创企业。In the US, there are barely half as many established companies as there are start-up businesses. 英国小企业联合会(Federation of Small Businesses)的西蒙o布里奥特(Simon Briault)表示，阻碍创业活动的主要障碍是政府繁杂的手续，而非市场不确定性。他表示："由于需要另外考虑薪资、税收、医疗、安全和聘用规定等问题，人们害怕聘用人才。"Simon Briault, of the Federation of Small Businesses, said red tape rather than market uncertainties was the main barrier to enterprise. "There is a fear of employing people because of the extra considerations about payroll, tax, health and safety and employment rules," he said. 英国创业者似乎不惧怕创新。《全球创业观察》发现，英国创业者对问世不到一年的新技术的利用率与美国大致相同。UK entrepreneurs do not seem to fear innovation. GEM found that they were about as likely to use a technology that was less than a year old as people in the US. 在英国，女性创业率是男性的一半。这一性别差距比美国和德国都要大。Women are half as likely as men to be involved in start-ups in the UK - a wider gender gap than in the US and Germany. 然而，《全球创业观察》发现，过去一年，英国多数地区的女性创业活动都相当稳定。But GEM found female entrepreneurship was reasonably constant in most UK regions during the past year. Aurora首席执行官格伦达o斯通(Glenda Stone)表示，女性创业通常较为容易，因为她们之中有更多人呆在家中，或者做兼职工作。Aurora是一个由2万多女性创业者组成的网络。Glenda Stone, chief executive of Aurora, a network of more than 20,000 female entrepreneurs, said it was often easier for women to start a business because more of them were based at home or worked part-time. 然而，最近的利率上调和人事政策变动（大公司正试图让工作女性更为舒适），意味着2007年选择创业的女性数量将减少。However, recent rises in interest rates and changes in the personnel policies that would see large companies trying to be more accommodating to working mothers would mean that fewer women chose to start up a business during 2007. 她表示："我想，人们现在更加有点儿犹豫不决了。""I think people are a bit more nervous right now," she said. 盖茨称限制移民不利美国经济 微软(Microsoft)董事长、世界首富比尔o盖茨(Bill Gates)昨日警告称，限制进入美国的熟练工人数量的规定，已使美国的竞争力面临风险。Bill Gates, the chairman of Microsoft and the world's richest man, gave warning yesterday that restrictions on the number of skilled workers allowed to enter the US put the country's competitiveness at risk. 此番言论是科技行业对美国限制性移民政策的最新抨击。美国科技行业正面临熟练工人短缺的问题，而目前科技业对这些人技能的需求不断上升。盖茨在美国参议院卫生、教育、劳工及退休金委员会(Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labour and Pensions)发表演讲时表示，美国移民政策的严格程度有所上升--部分原因是出于对恐怖主义的担忧，这"恰好在我们最有需要时，把全球最优秀、最聪明的人赶走了"。The comments marked the latest attack on restrictive US immigration policies by the technology industry, which is facing a shortage of skilled workers even as demand for their skills is increasing. Speaking before the Senate committee on health, education, labour and pensions, Mr Gates said that tighter US immigration policies - governed partly by concerns over terrorism - were "driving away the world's best and brightest precisely when we need them most". "这等于告诉训练有素、高度熟练的工人，美国不欢迎或者不重视他们，这毫无道理，何况他们中许多人还在我们的顶尖学院和大学中受教育，"盖茨表示，"如果美国将恰好最能帮助我们进行竞争的人关在门外，那么它将发现极难维持自己在科技方面的领导地位。""It makes no sense to tell well-trained, highly skilled individuals, many of whom are educated at our top colleges and universities, that the United States does not welcome or value them," Mr Gates said. "America will find it infinitely more difficult to maintain its technological leadership if it shuts out the very people who are most able to help us compete." 盖茨表示，其它国家正利用美国的限制性移民政策，吸引高度熟练的工人，而这些人本可能选择在美国学习、定居和工作。Mr Gates said that other countries were taking advantage of restrictive US policies by catering to highly skilled workers who would otherwise choose to study, live and work in the US. "我们错失的机遇变成了它们的收获，"盖茨表示，"我个人在微软几乎每天都能看到这些政策的不利影响。""Our lost opportunities are their gains," he said. "I personally witness the ill effects of these policies on an almost daily basis at Microsoft." 盖茨对美国的竞争力状况发出了广泛警告，上述关于移民问题的言论便是其中之一。Mr Gates's comments on immigration were part of a broader warning by the Microsoft chairman over the state of US competitiveness. 盖茨表示，如果美国不迅速改善教育、投资基础科学研究并改革移民政策，他将"深为担忧"美国保持竞争力的能力。Mr Gates said he felt "deep anxiety" about America's ability to remain competitive if it did not act quickly to improve education, invest in basic science research, and reform its immigration policies. 盖茨呼吁美国国会放宽妨碍许多外国学生在美国大学完成学业后定居美国的规定。他还建议国会缩短高度熟练工人获得永久居民身份的时间。Mr Gates called on Congress to loosen rules that prevent many foreign students from settling once their studies at US universities are complete. He also suggested that Congress speed the process of obtaining permanent resident status for highly skilled workers. 美国目前将签发给外国熟练工人的签证数量限制在每年6.5万个，而将签发的绿卡（即获得永久居民身份）数量限制在每年14万个。The US currently limits visas for skilled foreign workers to 65,000 a year, while the number of green cards, required for permanent resident status is limited to 140,000 a year.