特朗普政府即將宣佈對華關稅措施

The Trump administration plans to use new targeted tariffs to apply “maximum pressure” on China to stop it stealing the intellectual property of American business, according to the top US trade official.

美國高級貿易官員表示，特朗普政府計劃利用針對性的新關稅措施來對中國施加“最大壓力”，迫使其停止竊取美國企業的知識產權。

With the White House expected to unveil proposed curbs on Chinese business as soon as today, Robert Lighthizer, US trade representative, also offered an olive branch to the EU and other allies, indicating they would not face immediate US tariffs on steel and aluminium imports while they were negotiating possible exemptions.

白宮預計最早將在今天公佈對中國企業施加限制的計劃，美國貿易代表羅伯特?萊特希澤(Robert Lighthizer)還向歐盟和其他盟友伸出了橄欖枝，表示在其談判可能的關稅豁免之際，不會馬上面臨美國鋼鐵和鋁進口關稅。

Washington is keen to enlist Europe, Japan and other trading partners in its fight against alleged Chinese trade abuses.

華盛頓方面希望在打擊中國據稱存在的貿易濫用行爲時，爭取歐洲、日本和其他貿易伙伴的支持。

According to people familiar with its deliberations, the White House is expected to announce a plan to apply new tariffs on imports from China worth at least $30bn as soon as today, although US officials said the proposals remained in flux. The plan is also likely to involve a process for consultations with US business that may delay their implementation.

據知情人士表示，白宮預計最早將在今天宣佈計劃，對價值至少300億美元的中國輸美商品徵收新關稅，儘管美國官員表示，相關提議仍在調整中。該計劃還可能涉及與美國企業進行磋商的過程，可能使其推遲落實。

The Trump administration is also likely to flag up new restrictions on Chinese investment in the US and tighter visa requirements for Chinese nationals, although the details have yet to be decided.

特朗普政府也可能對中國在美投資提出新限制，並收緊對中國公民的簽證要求，儘管細節還沒有決定。

Mr Lighthizer told members of Congress that the administration expected to hit certain Chinese technology products in sectors where Beijing has forced US companies to transfer intellectual property in order to do business in China. It also wants to target sectors in which the Chinese government is subsidising overseas acquisitions by its companies of strategic technologies.

萊特希澤告訴國會議員，特朗普政府預計將打擊某些中國科技產品，涉及北京方面迫使美國企業以轉讓知識產權換取在中國做生意的行業。它還希望打擊中國政府補貼其戰略技術企業進行海外收購的行業。

“We think that it is perhaps the most important thing that will have been done in a long time in terms of rebalancing trade with China,” he said, pointing to the US’s $375bn trade deficit with Beijing.

“我們認爲，這也許是在很久以來在再平衡對華貿易方面所做的最重要的事，”他表示，他指出，美國對華貿易逆差高達3750億美元。

But he said Washington was mindful of the potential impact on US households. His staff had used an algorithm to formulate penalties that would“put maximum pressure on China and minimum pressure on American consumers”. The prospect of tariffs on imports from China has drawn widespread criticism from the US business community and others worried about the prospect of Chinese retaliation leading to a trade war between the world’s two largest economies.

但他表示，華盛頓意識到了這可能對美國家庭造成的潛在影響。他的部下使用了一個算法來制定處罰方案，以實現“對中國施加最大壓力，給美國消費者帶來最小壓力”。對中國輸美商品徵收關稅的前景，已經招致了美國商界以及其他人的廣泛批評，後者擔心中國可能報復，導致世界兩個最大經濟體之間爆發貿易戰。

“Nobody wins from a trade war. We certainly don’t want a trade war,” Mr Lighthizer said.

“貿易戰沒有贏家。我方肯定不希望發生貿易戰，”萊特希澤表示。

But he added: “We have to do something?.?.?.?The reality is that if you are on a course that is unsustainable you have to do something to change.”

但他補充稱：“我們不得不有所作爲……現實是，如果你正處於一條不可持續的道路上，你不得不做出一些改變。”

Business groups remain sceptical of the Trump administration’s plans, though many acknowledge that it is trying to tackle legitimate concerns.

商業團體仍然對特朗普政府的計劃持懷疑態度，儘管很多人承認白宮是在嘗試解決正當的關切。

“It’s unclear right now what the strategy is for using tariffs in this case,” said Erin Ennis, senior vice-president for the US-China Business Council.

“目前還不清楚在這件事上啓用關稅措施的戰略是什麼，”美中貿易全國委員會(US-China Business Council)高級副會長埃林?恩尼斯(Erin Ennis)表示。

“Companies want to see the problems that are identified in the case addressed?.?.?.?It’s just not clear how tariffs get you to fix that problem.”

“企業希望看到已被識別的問題得到應對……只是不清楚關稅措施怎麼幫你解決這個問題。”

Republicans in Congress are also deeply sceptical about the merits of tariffs.

共和黨議員也對關稅措施的利弊深表懷疑。

Opening yesterday’s hearing with Mr Lighthizer, Kevin Brady, Republican chairman of the House ways and means committee, said he was concerned that US trade policy was at a dangerous crossroads.

在萊特希澤聽證會的開場白中，衆議院籌款委員會主席、共和黨議員凱文?布萊迪(Kevin Brady)表示，他擔心美國貿易政策正處於一個危險的十字路口。

The administration needed to choose between isolationism and global leadership, he added.

他補充稱，特朗普政府需要在孤立主義和全球領導角色之間做出選擇。

Mr Brady said China’s oversupply of steel and aluminium had “put many Americans out of work” and “its blatant theft of our companies’ technology and intellectual property can’t be tolerated”. But he warned against “indiscriminate tariffs”.

布萊迪表示，中國過剩鋼鐵和鋁供應“造成很多美國人失業”而且“其悍然竊取我國企業的技術和知識產權是不可容忍的”。但他對“不加區分的關稅政策”提出了警告。

“We must not punish American families and workers for China’s misbehaviour,” he said.

他表示，“我們絕不能因爲中國的不當行爲而懲罰美國家庭和工人。”