澳大利亚有望批准澳中贸易协定

Australia is poised to ratify a trade deal with China after the opposition Labor party proposed a compromise to address fears that projects enabled by the treaty would favour Chinese workers.

澳大利亚正准备批准该国与中国达成的一个贸易协定，此前反对党工党提出一个妥协方案，以化解澳方对于该协定带来的项目将优先雇用中国工人的担心。

The breakthrough comes as Malcolm Turnbull, the prime minister, seeks to build a national consensus on reforms to stimulate growth even as the economy of China, Australia’s biggest trading partner, slows.

取得这一突破之际，澳大利亚总理马尔科姆•特恩布尔(Malcolm Turnbull)正寻求就刺激经济增长的改革凝聚全国共识，当前的背景是澳大利亚最大的贸易伙伴中国的经济正在放缓。

The trade deal, which was signed in June but requires legislation, would cut tariffs and remove other impediments to Australian exports while relaxing rules on Chinese inward investment. It underpins a deepening relationship between Canberra and Beijing in which Australia this year joined the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank against the wishes of the US, its key ally.

6月签署、但需要立法的这个贸易协定，将为澳大利亚的出口削减关税并消除其他障碍，同时放松针对中国对澳投资的规则。它夯实了堪培拉与北京之间不断深化的关系。今年澳大利亚不顾关键盟友美国的反对，加入了中国主导的亚洲基础设施投资银行（Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank，简称“亚投行”）。

Labor’s compromise, which follows a campaign by unions against the treaty, would mean amending domestic laws rather than the trade deal. The party wants employers seeking workers for projects enabled under the deal to be required to advertise locally before recruiting abroad. It also wants workers in trades such as electrics or plumbing to obtain an Australian occupational licence or registration within 60 days of arrival.

在多个工会举行了反对澳中贸易协定的抗议活动后，工党提出的妥协方案将意味着修订国内法律，而不是贸易协定。该党希望，该协定带来的项目的雇主在物色工人时，必须首先在澳大利亚做广告，然后才从国外招人。该党还提出，电工或管道工之类的技术工人必须申请获得澳大利亚职业执照，或者在抵达后60天内注册。

The looming removal of barriers to trade with China comes as Australia’s resource-rich economy faces its greatest challenge since the global financial crisis. Sharp falls in the value of its main exports and concerns about the health of the Chinese economy have dented business confidence and caused economic growth to slow to about 2 per cent, below a long-term trend above 3 per cent.

对华贸易的壁垒有望清除之际，澳大利亚的资源型经济面临着自全球金融危机以来最大的挑战。该国主要出口的价值大幅下跌，加上人们对中国经济健康状况的关切，已削弱了商业信心，导致经济增长放缓至大约2%，低于3%以上的长期趋势。