Progress Reported in TPP Negotiations

From VOA Learning English, this is the Economics Report.
这里是美国之音慢速英语经济报道。

Top trade officials reported progress, but no final deal after meets in Singapore earlier this month. They met to discuss details of the proposed Trans Pacific Partnership, or TPP. The plan calls for removing non-tariff trade requirements among 12 Pacific nations.
本月早些时候,最高贸易官员在新加坡会谈后通报取得了进展,但未能达成最终协议。他们开会讨论了拟议的跨太平洋伙伴关系(简称TPP)的细节问题。该方案主张取消12个太平洋国家之间的非关税贸易壁垒(要求)。

Supporters say the TPP would make trade easier, create jobs and help the economy of those countries. But critics say some of the requirements exist to help protect individuals, workers and the environment.
支持者表示,跨太平洋伙伴关系会使贸易更加容易、创造就业机会并帮助这些国家的经济。但批评人士称,现有的一些要求有助于保护个体、工人和环境。

The 12 nations are responsible for about one-third of all world trade. They include Australia, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Peru, Singapore, Vietnam and the United States.
这十二个国家大约占到了全球贸易的三分之一。它们包括澳大利亚、智利、日本、马来西亚、墨西哥、秘鲁、新加坡、越南和美国。

Trade officials are set to restart talks in January. Negotiators are attempting to settle several disputes. The United States wants Japan to end restrictions on American-made automobiles. Some nations are arguing over intellectual property rights for films and music.
贸易官员准备于明年一月重启会谈。谈判代表们正试图解决一些纠纷。美国希望日本结束对美国制造的汽车的限制。一些国家就电影和音乐的知识产权在争论。

Experts say earlier trade deals cut tariffs and other payments, this made it less costly to move goods from one nation to another. Supporters say lower costs increases trade.
专家表示,早期贸易协议削减关税和其它费用,这使得国家之间货物流通的费用更低。支持者称,降低成本能增加贸易。

Charles Boustany is a congressman from the American state of Louisiana. He notes that in 2011, trade exports and imports of goods and services with TPP countries supported nearly 15 million jobs in the United States. The Trans Pacific Partnership is an attempt to increase trade by making rules similar from one nation to another.
查尔斯·波斯坦尼(Charles Boustany)是来自美国路易斯安那州的一名国会议员。他指出,在2011年,同跨太平洋伙伴关系国家的货物及服务进出口贸易支撑了美国近1500万个工作岗位。跨太平洋伙伴关系试图通过在各国制定类似规则增加贸易。

Lori Wallach works with the American activist group Public Citizen. He says some government rules for importing or exporting goods are necessary. He says they protect the environment and the health of workers and people who buy imported goods.
洛瑞·瓦拉赫(Lori Wallach)就职于美国激进组织Public Citizen。他说有些对进出口货物的政府规定是必要的。它们能够保护环境和工人健康,以及购买进口货物的人们。

Lori Wallach says the TPP is more about politics than trade. He says big companies have used secretive trade negotiations to get things done that Congress would not approve. He says rules that make work conditions safe or protect health are under attack if they are defined as a barrier to the international trade.
瓦拉赫表示,跨太平洋伙伴关系更接近政治而不是贸易。他说,大公司都使用秘密贸易谈判以达到国会不会批准的目的。他说,如果确保工作环境安全或保护人类健康的规定被定义为国际贸易壁垒,它们就是受到攻击。

Opposition from labor and consumer protection groups means the proposed deal faces an uncertain future in Washington. The agreement has to be confirmed by many national legislatures, including the U.S. Congress.
劳工和消费者保护组织的反对意味着这份拟议协议在华盛顿面临着不可预知的未来。该协议必须得到包括美国国会在内的众多立法机构批准。