英语翻译＋英语口译 -  2008年8月28日经济报道－高价燃料促使制造业“回家”

ECONOMICS REPORT - High Fuel Prices Drive Manufacturing Closer to Home
Thu, 28Aug 2008
This is the VOA Special English Economics Report.
经济报道－高价燃料促使制造业“回家”
2008年8月28日
这是VOA特别英语的经济报道。
In the last thirty years, American businesses have increasingly used suppliers in China and all over the world. This helped fuel a current account deficit of seven hundred thirty-one billion dollars last year. The current account is a measure of the difference between a country's income and its current spending.
在过去30年里，美国公司不断采纳中国和全球的供应商。这推高了经常项目的逆差，（去年为7310亿美元）。经常项目是一个国家收入与开支差额的衡量。
Even so, many companies profited by importing goods from foreign suppliers as world trade barriers fell and oil prices were low. But wage costs have risen in China. And now, with oil so costly, many economists wonder how wise it is to make products far from home markets.
即便如此，当世界贸易壁垒消失并且油价低廉时，许多公司从外国供应商进口货物而盈利。但是，中国人工成本不断上涨；目前，石油昂贵，许多经济学家怀疑在远离本土市场制造产品是否明智。
A recent report by Jeff Rubin and Benjamin Tal at the Canadian bank CIBC said shipping inflation is taking the place of the old trade tariffs. For example, in the year two thousand, the cost to send a twelve-meter shipping container from Shanghai to the American East Coast was three thousand dollars. Now the cost has risen to eight thousand dollars.
加拿大银行CIBC的Jeff Rubin和Benjamin Tal最新报告说，运输成本上升代替了原贸易关税。例如，在2000年，12米运输货柜从上海运输到美国的成本是3000美元；而现在，成本上升到8000美元。
High transportation costs have already affected China's foreign trade. The rate of export growth decreased from about twenty-seven percent a year ago to twenty-two percent in the first half of this year.
高运输成本已经影响到中国的外贸。出口增长率从一年前的大约27%下降到上半年的22%。
To cut transportation costs, some companies are opening factories in countries where they sell their products. Sweden's Ikea, the world's largest seller of home furniture, just opened its first factory in the United States in Virginia.
为了降低运输成本，一些公司在他们出售产品的国家开设工厂。瑞典的宜家，世界最大家具商，刚刚在美国的弗吉尼亚开设了第一家工厂。
Countries like the United States that have lost manufacturing jobs to foreign competition could see some of those jobs return. But a new report says American businesses are also looking at other ways to deal with high fuel prices. The report is from a transportation research company based in London, Eyefortransport.
诸如美国之类的国家，因外国竞争失去工作，目前发现许多工作又返回了。但是，一份新报告说，美国公司也在寻求其它方式，应对高价燃油的问题。该报告来自伦敦的运输研究公司（运输观察）。
It says that for years the industry has tried to reduce costs by moving goods through the supply chain as quickly as possible. Now, high fuel costs are making some companies restructure their operations. Fewer but larger loads are being shipped.
报告说，多年来，业界试图通过尽快在供应链中传送货物，从而降低成本。目前，高价燃油使一些公司重组其作业，即运输更少但更大的货物。
And companies are moving more goods by rail and by water, along coasts and inland waterways. Not only does that save fuel, the report says, it also helps shippers and carriers improve their "green" image.
另外，许多公司采用铁路和水路（海运和内陆航道）运输更多的货物。报告说，这不仅节约燃油，而且有助于货主和承运人改善其“绿色”的形象。
With these changes, it says, American manufacturers are looking for low-cost countries closer to home -- known as near shoring. At the same time, there appears to be a common belief in the industry that some carriers are raising fuel charges just to increase profits.
报告说，随着这些变化， 美国制造企业正在寻求离家更近的低成本国家，即就近外包（采购）。目前，业界普遍的看法是某些承运人只是提供燃油加价，从而提高利润。
And that's the VOA Special English Economics Report, written by Mario Ritter. I'm Steve Ember.
这是由Mario Ritter编写的VOA特别英语的经济报道。我是Steve Ember。