歐洲議會反對給予中國市場經濟地位

European parliamentarians have delivered a blow to China’s ambition to be recognised as a “market economy”, a status that would give the Asian country’s exports easier entry into the bloc.

歐洲議員們對中國爭取“市場經濟地位”的雄心給予了打擊，市場經濟地位將使這個亞洲國家的出口更容易進入歐盟。

EU lawmakers passed a resolution saying that China was still not eligible for such a step and that there was no case for relaxing anti-dumping rules against the country, which can place retaliatory tariffs on Chinese goods that are found to be below market prices.

歐盟議員通過一項決議，認爲中國仍沒有資格獲得這一地位，而且沒有理由放鬆針對中國的反傾銷規則；按照這些規則，歐盟可對被發現低於市場價格的中國產品開徵報復性關稅。

Yesterday’s resolution was Supported by 546 lawmakers, while only 28 voted against and 77 abstained.

昨日的決議得到546名歐洲議員贊成，只有28票反對，77票棄權。

China says it is automatically entitled to obtain market economy status globally, which is one of its most coveted political goals, at the end of this year under World Trade Organisation rules. Supporters of the move, including the UK government, say that awarding the status would boost investment between Europe and China.

中國聲稱，按照世界貿易組織(WTO)規則，它將在今年底在全球範圍自動獲得市場經濟地位，這也是中國最夢寐以求的政治目標之一。此舉的支持者（包括英國政府）表示，授予中國市場經濟地位將促進歐洲和中國之間的投資。

However, the status would also make it harder to hit China with anti-dumping tariffs. The recent crisis in the European steel industry has heightened concerns about relaxing such levies, with Europe’s companies saying they have been hammered by un-fairly cheap imports from Chinese mills.

但是，這一地位也將加大對中國產品徵收反傾銷關稅的難度。歐洲鋼鐵行業近期爆發的危機加劇了有關各方對放鬆此類關稅的擔憂，歐洲企業稱，他們被來自中國鋼廠的價格便宜得不公平的產品壓得喘不過氣來。

Europe’s growing hostility towards granting China the status comes amid a global backlash against relaxing trade barriers; German public opinion is swinging against a landmark accord with the US, while an unusually protectionist rhetoric is colouring the US presidential race.

歐洲在給予中國市場經濟地位問題上態度日益敵視之際，全球都出現了反對放鬆貿易壁壘的情緒；德國輿論大幅轉向反對與美國達成具有里程碑意義的貿易協定，而美國總統競選也充斥着格外強烈的保護主義論調。

Yesterday’s vote was non-binding but sends a signal to the European Commission, which must issue a proposal on the matter this year. The parliament will then vote on whether to approve it.

歐洲議會昨日的投票並無約束力，但它向歐盟委員會(European Commission)發出了一個信號，後者今年必須就這件事提交議案，然後由歐洲議會投票決定是否批准。

“This vote sends a signal that the European Parliament will not accept any measures that weaken our ability to defend ourselves from unfair Chinese competition,” said David Martin, an MEP from the UK Labour party.

“此次投票發出一個信號：如果任何措施削弱我們捍衛自己不受中國不公平競爭影響的能力，歐洲議會就不會接受這種措施，”來自英國工黨的歐洲議會議員戴維•馬丁(David Martin)表示。

“Recognising China as a market economy at the WTO would be to tighten the noose around the UK steel industry’s neck . . . We must act now or there won’t be any EU industry left to defend.”

“在WTO層面承認中國是市場經濟，將等於收緊套在英國鋼鐵行業脖子上的絞索……我們現在必須採取行動，否則歐盟將連一個值得捍衛的產業都保留不下來。”

But people close to the case said the commission was broadly in favour of gran-ting the status, backing Beijing’s claim it was legally entitled to the upgrade. The debate had shifted to whether a deal could be struck that gave special protection to vulnerable industries such as steel, cera-mics, textiles and bicycles, they added.

但是，知情人士表示，歐盟委員會大致上贊成授予中國市場經濟地位，認同北京方面有關中國依法有資格獲得這一地位升級的主張。他們補充說，辯論已轉向這樣一個問題：能否達成一項給予脆弱產業（如鋼鐵、陶瓷、紡織和自行車）特別保護的協議？

If China wins the status, importing countries would have to prove that its goods could be classed as dumped by using prices in the Chinese market as their reference. If China is not classed as a market economy, importers can use prices in a third country as a comparison point, enabling them to choose a country that bolsters their case.

若中國贏得市場經濟地位，進口國在中國產品構成傾銷時，將不得不使用中國市場的價格作爲比較基準。在中國沒有市場經濟地位的情況下，進口國可以用第三國的價格作爲基準，這使他們能夠選擇一個有利於自己主張的國家。

Marietje Schaake, a Dutch liberal lawmaker, warned after yesterday’s parliamentary session that China could take legal action to obtain the status.

來自荷蘭自由黨的歐洲議會議員瑪麗切•沙克(Marietje Schaake)在歐洲議會昨日投票後警告，中國可能會採取法律行動來獲得市場經濟地位。

“It is a case that we could lose, which means we would be forced to develop a new approach after all,” she said.

“這是一個我方可能敗訴的案子，那意味着我們還是會被迫拿出一種新對策，”她說。