Asian, European Leaders to Discuss Financial Crisis, Environment
第七届亚欧会议周五在北京举行
Asian and European leaders are arriving in Beijing to discuss ways to deal with the global financial crisis. Europe wants support from China and other Asian giants on the crisis, as well as on climate change and sustainable development.
亚洲和欧洲国家的领导人集聚北京,商讨应对全球金融危机的对策。欧洲国家希望中国和其他亚洲大国在应对危机,以及气候变化和可持续发展方面提供支援。
Leaders from more than 40 Asian and European countries will hold two days of talks in the Chinese capital.
来自亚洲和欧洲四十多个国家的领导人将在北京举行为期两天的会谈。
The seventh Asia-Europe Meeting, known as ASEM, begins Friday and will focus on shoring up global confidence in the face of a world economic slowdown.
第七届亚欧会议将从星期五开始,会谈的重点是在全球经济增长放缓之际如何提高人们的信心。
European leaders want to see more support from fast-growing China and India.
欧洲国家领导人希望看到经济增长迅速的中国和印度提供更多的支援。
The president of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso, told journalists no country is immune to the crisis. He says the international financial system needs sweeping reforms and that for them to work, Asia needed to be "on board."
欧盟委员会主席巴罗佐对记者表示,没有哪个国家能够免受这场危机的影响。他说,国际金融体系需要全面的改革,为了达到这一目的需要亚洲国家的参与。
"We are living in unprecedented times and we need unprecedented levels of global coordination. It is very simple. We swim together or we sink together," he said.
“我们生活在前所未有的时代,需要前所未有的全球协调。事情就这样简单。我们是同生死,共沉浮。”
During the past few months, governments around the world have moved to shore up banks, make cash available to lenders and to stabilize markets. The credit crisis, sparked originally by the collapse of bad loans in the United States property market, has resulted in several large international banks being forced to close or merge.
Barroso says the financial crisis is not the only cause of the global economic slowdown.
巴罗佐说,金融危机不是全球经济下滑的唯一原因。
He says major imbalances and problems with monetary policies were other causes.
他说货币政策的重大不平衡和遇到的困难是其它原因。
"If you look, for instance, at the level of reserves some countries have and the level of consumption, or internal demand, compared with other major players. That is one of the reasons why I really believe that China has a word to say and that is, by the way, in the interest of China, to be an active participant in this new financial order that will be created," Barroso said.
巴罗佐说:“比如说,你可以查看一下一些国家的储备金水平和消费或者说内需水平的情况。这就是为什么我认为中国有发言权,而且顺便说一下,中国积极参与这个即将创立的金融新秩序也符合中国利益的原因之一。”
China has nearly $2 trillion in foreign currency reserves and has been under pressure to allow its own currency to appreciate. Other governments also hope Beijing can stimulate domestic consumption, to reduce the damage from slowing demand in Europe, Japan and the United States.
中国有将近两万亿美元的外汇储备,并一直面临让其货币升值的压力。其他国家政府也希望北京方面能刺激国内消费、减少欧洲、日本和美国需求降低所造成的损害。
Chinese leaders say they are paying close attention to the global crisis and are considering what measures are needed to maintain stability.
中国领导人说,他们密切关注这场全球危机,并正考虑需要采取哪些措施来维护稳定。
The meeting of Asian and European leaders is an opportunity to discuss common concerns, and will not produce binding agreements.
亚欧领导人会议是讨论共同关心问题的机会,但不会达成具有约束性的协议。
During the meeting, leaders will also discuss climate change. Europe wants advanced developing countries like China to make more substantial commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
这些领导人在会议期间还将讨论气候变化议题。欧洲希望中国等先进发展中国家对减少温室气体排放做出更加切实的承诺。
Barroso says he hopes the world does not make the same mistake with climate change as they did with the financial crisis. He says when they see a serious problem coming nations should not postpone the solutions.
巴罗佐说,他希望国际社会在处理气候变化议题时能避免处理金融危机时犯下的同样错误。他说,当他们看到即将发生一个严重问题时,这些国家不应该推迟解决这个问题。