VOA常速英语2008年-India Mulling Sweeping Trade Pact With Africa
时间：2019-02-02 作者：英语课 分类：VOA常速英语2008年（二月）
New Delhi
14 February 2008
India is considering lifting certain trade duties with African countries. The move is aimed at countering China's increasing business ventures in the resource-rich continent. VOA's Steve Herman reports from New Delhi.
Government and industry sources here say India is planning to announce a major trade and investment plan when it hosts an unprecedented 1 summit with African countries in early April.
Under consideration: duty free imports of some items from Africa. The plan is being prepared at a time when China has been edging out India for some lucrative 2 African contracts. Beijing and New Delhi are in competition for resources abroad to meet the energy needs of their rapidly growing economies.
Some trade policy makers 3 here are talking about sweeping 4 concessions 5 on duties for African products but key Indian industry figures are calling for a more selective approach.
The deputy director of the Confederation of Indian Industry, Shipra Tripathi, says relaxation 6 of duties and quotas 7 should be limited to sectors 8 mature enough to handle such a change.
"Probably gems 9 and jewelry 10 or the traditional sectors that we've had in terms of industry," she said. "They're already entrenched 11. They have active players in those fields who have a global presence and a global reputation. If we were to look at having a free trade agreement in terms of textiles we will kill the textile industry, whatever exists in African countries."
The African Union has selected 14 member countries that will send heads of state to New Delhi this April for the first-ever India-Africa Forum 12.
The event is seen as a reaction to a summit in November 2006 when Beijing hosted nearly 50 African leaders. That meeting resulted in China pledging to double aid to Africa and announcing billions of dollars in credit lines and commercial deals.
Indian government officials and industry leaders say their interest in Africa is not only economic.
CII's Tripathi says India must demonstrate that it is truly concerned with building an equitable 13 partnership 14 and empowering Africans.
"India industry should not be looked upon as colonizers or someone who is moving in to take away," she said. "They would rather be looked upon as people who would contribute."
Indian exports to Africa are growing rapidly with two-way trade now at about $20 billion a year. South Africa and Nigeria lead the way.
India polishes nearly all of South Africa's diamonds and is a major importer of gold. India exports to that country fabric 15, yarn 16, auto 17 parts, and machinery 18, especially agricultural equipment.
Nigeria provides 10 percent of India's petroleum 19 needs.
- The air crash caused an unprecedented number of deaths.这次空难的死亡人数是空前的。
- A flood of this sort is really unprecedented.这样大的洪水真是十年九不遇。
- He decided to turn his hobby into a lucrative sideline.他决定把自己的爱好变成赚钱的副业。
- It was not a lucrative profession.那是一个没有多少油水的职业。
- The makers of the product assured us that there had been no sacrifice of quality. 这一产品的制造商向我们保证说他们没有牺牲质量。
- The makers are about to launch out a new product. 制造商们马上要生产一种新产品。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
- Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？
- The firm will be forced to make concessions if it wants to avoid a strike. 要想避免罢工，公司将不得不作出一些让步。
- The concessions did little to placate the students. 让步根本未能平息学生的愤怒。
- The minister has consistently opposed any relaxation in the law.部长一向反对法律上的任何放宽。
- She listens to classical music for relaxation.她听古典音乐放松。
- In fulfilling the production quotas, John made rings round all his fellow workers. 约翰完成生产定额大大超过他的同事们。
- Quotas of the means of production are allocated by the higher administrative bodies to the lower ones. 物资指标按隶属关系分配。
- Berlin was divided into four sectors after the war. 战后柏林分成了4 个区。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- Industry and agriculture are the two important sectors of the national economy. 工业和农业是国民经济的两个重要部门。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
- a crown studded with gems 镶有宝石的皇冠
- The apt citations and poetic gems have adorned his speeches. 贴切的引语和珠玑般的诗句为他的演说词增添文采。
- The burglars walked off with all my jewelry.夜盗偷走了我的全部珠宝。
- Jewelry and lace are mostly feminine belongings.珠宝和花边多数是女性用品。
- Television seems to be firmly entrenched as the number one medium for national advertising.电视看来要在全国广告媒介中牢固地占据头等位置。
- If the enemy dares to attack us in these entrenched positions,we will make short work of them.如果敌人胆敢进攻我们固守的阵地，我们就消灭他们。
- They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
- The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。
- This is an equitable solution to the dispute. 这是对该项争议的公正解决。
- Paying a person what he has earned is equitable. 酬其应得,乃公平之事。
- The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
- Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。
- The fabric will spot easily.这种织品很容易玷污。
- I don't like the pattern on the fabric.我不喜欢那块布料上的图案。
- I stopped to have a yarn with him.我停下来跟他聊天。
- The basic structural unit of yarn is the fiber.纤维是纱的基本结构单元。
- Don't park your auto here.别把你的汽车停在这儿。
- The auto industry has brought many people to Detroit.汽车工业把许多人吸引到了底特律。
- Has the machinery been put up ready for the broadcast?广播器材安装完毕了吗？
- Machinery ought to be well maintained all the time.机器应该随时注意维护。