Donald Trump’s top trade official has opened thedoor to reviving trade negotiations with the EU butwarned the bloc it will be in competition with Chinaand Japan to show willingness to do the first dealwith the new US administration.
美国总统唐纳德?特朗普(Donald Trump)的最高贸易官员开启了与欧盟(EU)恢复贸易谈判的大门，但警告欧盟：它需要与中国和日本展开竞争，以证明自己愿意首先与特朗普政府达成协议。
Wilbur Ross, US commerce secretary, said the needto cut the US’s $146bn transatlantic trade deficit ingoods was one of his priorities. The deficit is second only to the $347bn one with China.
美国商务部长威尔伯?罗斯(Wilbur Ross)表示，美国需要降低1460亿美元的对欧货物贸易赤字，这是他的优先事项之一。这个数字仅次于3470亿美元的美国对华货物贸易赤字。
The billionaire investor is due to host Cecilia Malmstr?m, EU trade commissioner, in Washingtontoday for their first meeting to discuss how to proceed with talks over a Transatlantic Tradeand Investment Partnership (TTIP) launched under the Obama administration. Those talksstarted in 2013 but stalled last year amid intense political opposition in the EU and last June’svote by the UK to leave the bloc.
这位亿万富豪投资者周一将在华盛顿迎接欧盟贸易专员塞西莉亚?马姆斯特罗姆(Cecilia Malmstr?m)，举行两人之间的首次会晤，讨论如何推进之前由奥巴马(Obama)政府启动的《跨大西洋贸易与投资伙伴关系协定》(TTIP)谈判。TTIP谈判在2013年就已开始，但由于遭到欧盟内部的激烈政治反对和去年6月英国公投退欧，谈判去年陷入停滞。
“The three big [economies] that are the sources of our trade deficit outside of [the NorthAmerican Free Trade Agreement] are China, Japan and Europe. So it is logical that?.?.?.?oneshould focus on Europe,” Mr Ross said.
“在《北美自由贸易协定》(NAFTA)以外，给我们造成最大贸易逆差的三大（经济体）是中国、日本和欧洲。所以合乎逻辑的是……我们应该关注欧洲，”罗斯说。
The move marks a shift in tone by the Trump administration, which had been pushing tostrike bilateral deals with EU members such as Germany, despite not being allowed to under EUrules.
此举标志着特朗普政府的口风转变，此前特朗普政府一直在推动与德国等个别的欧盟成员国达成双边协定，尽管依据欧盟规则不能这么做。
But US officials caution that the meeting is unlikely to lead to a rapid resumption of talks withBrussels because of the German election in September. Just as a Trump plan to pursue abilateral deal with the UK was put on hold because of Brexit, they warn, Washington has doubtsabout the EU’s “bandwidth” as it focuses on its talks with London.
但美国官员告诫称，由于德国将在9月举行大选，这次会晤不太可能导致华盛顿与布鲁塞尔迅速恢复谈判。他们警告称，就像特朗普致力于与英国达成双边协定的计划因为英国退欧而被搁置，美国对欧盟在专注于其与英国谈判之际的“带宽”感到疑虑。
EU officials are similarly cautious about resuming talks with the US that would probably bedifficult and draw public opposition in Europe, where Mr Trump is unpopular. “Before taking adecision on how to proceed, we would need to clarify that there is a sufficient level ofshared ambition and common ground in finding solutions to difficult issues,” said acommission spokesman.
欧盟官员同样对恢复欧美贸易谈判感到谨慎。恢复谈判将很可能是困难的，并在特朗普不受欢迎的欧洲招致公众反对。欧盟委员会一名发言人说：“在就如何推进作出决定之前，我们需要澄清一点，那就是在寻求针对困难问题的解决方案上，双方有足够大的共同抱负和共同点。”
Mr Ross said that despite portrayals of the administration as a protectionist force in theglobal economy, it was intent on pursuing trade deals with major US economic partners.Although one of Mr Trump’s first acts was to pull the US out of the Trans-Pacific Partnershipwith Japan and 10 other nations, he had deci-ded not to do the same with TTIP.
罗斯表示，尽管特朗普政府被很多人描绘成全球经济中的一支保护主义力量，但它有意争取与美国的主要经济伙伴达成贸易协议。虽然特朗普的首批行动之一是让美国撤出与日本和其他10个国家达成的《跨太平洋伙伴关系协定》(TPP)，但他已决定不撤出TTIP。
