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VOA标准英语2012--Easing Burma Sanctions Draws Interest of US Business

时间:2012-11-28 08:47:00

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Easing Burma Sanctions Draws Interest of US Business

The United States suspended the restrictions1 on imports from Burma just ahead of President Obama's trip.

"America is lifting our ban on companies doing business here, and your government has lifted restrictions on investment and taken steps to open up your economy," said Obama. "And now, as more wealth flows into your borders, we hope and expect that it will lift up more people."

But sanctions against Burmese jade2 and rubies3, considered the world's finest, are still in place.

Members of Burma's previous military government and their cronies still profit from the gem4 industry that remains5 tainted6 by its record using forced labor7 and children.

Gem mine owner and dealer8 Aung Kyaw Zin claims labor abuses are a thing of the past and argues U.S. restrictions fail to curb9 the trade in jade while unfairly hurting family-owned businesses like his.

"Jade is especially for the China market, there is no American market," he said. "So, the current sanctions are not effective on the jade market and business. Ninety-five percent of [precious stone] annual profits, $2 billion to $3 billion, are from jade selling. The profit from gems10, like ruby11 and sapphire12, selling are less than 5 percent [of the precious stone total]. Therefore, sanctions only affect gem & colored stone dealers13."

Despite lingering concerns over labor practices, there are already signs the stigma14 of doing business in Burma is fading and American companies are moving in.

Thaw15 Tin says his company plans to open two more shops exclusively selling Apple products.

He says despite import problems American brands are well known. "It's just a matter of how much we can import in and how many we can get them on shelf," he noted16. "They just move by itself."

Major U.S. investors17 are also eyeing Burma's markets for opportunities, but are proceeding18 cautiously.

YGA Capital Managing Director Thura Ko Ko is advising the largest U.S. equity19 firm in the world.

"Sanctions can be lifted or waived20 or suspended within a very short time," he explained. But, if you cannot wire dollars over, if you cannot convert easily, if you cannot wire funds outside, I think you'll still see challenges in the pace of foreign investment."

President Barack Obama's unprecedented21 visit underscored the potential the U.S. sees in Burma.

But his reception here also demonstrated the potential that Burma, long reliant on neighbors China and Thailand, sees in the U.S. 


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1 restrictions 81e12dac658cfd4c590486dd6f7523cf     
约束( restriction的名词复数 ); 管制; 制约因素; 带限制性的条件(或规则)
参考例句:
  • I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
  • a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制
2 jade i3Pxo     
n.玉石;碧玉;翡翠
参考例句:
  • The statue was carved out of jade.这座塑像是玉雕的。
  • He presented us with a couple of jade lions.他送给我们一对玉狮子。
3 rubies 534be3a5d4dab7c1e30149143213b88f     
红宝石( ruby的名词复数 ); 红宝石色,深红色
参考例句:
  • a necklace of rubies intertwined with pearls 缠着珍珠的红宝石项链
  • The crown was set with precious jewels—diamonds, rubies and emeralds. 王冠上镶嵌着稀世珍宝—有钻石、红宝石、绿宝石。
4 gem Ug8xy     
n.宝石,珠宝;受爱戴的人 [同]jewel
参考例句:
  • The gem is beyond my pocket.这颗宝石我可买不起。
  • The little gem is worth two thousand dollars.这块小宝石价值两千美元。
5 remains 1kMzTy     
n.剩余物,残留物;遗体,遗迹
参考例句:
  • He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
  • The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。
6 tainted qgDzqS     
adj.腐坏的;污染的;沾污的;感染的v.使变质( taint的过去式和过去分词 );使污染;败坏;被污染,腐坏,败坏
参考例句:
  • The administration was tainted with scandal. 丑闻使得政府声名狼藉。
  • He was considered tainted by association with the corrupt regime. 他因与腐败政府有牵连而名誉受损。 来自《简明英汉词典》
7 labor P9Tzs     
n.劳动,努力,工作,劳工;分娩;vi.劳动,努力,苦干;vt.详细分析;麻烦
参考例句:
  • We are never late in satisfying him for his labor.我们从不延误付给他劳动报酬。
  • He was completely spent after two weeks of hard labor.艰苦劳动两周后,他已经疲惫不堪了。
8 dealer GyNxT     
n.商人,贩子
参考例句:
  • The dealer spent hours bargaining for the painting.那个商人为购买那幅画花了几个小时讨价还价。
  • The dealer reduced the price for cash down.这家商店对付现金的人减价优惠。
9 curb LmRyy     
n.场外证券市场,场外交易;vt.制止,抑制
参考例句:
  • I could not curb my anger.我按捺不住我的愤怒。
  • You must curb your daughter when you are in church.你在教堂时必须管住你的女儿。
10 gems 74ab5c34f71372016f1770a5a0bf4419     
growth; economy; management; and customer satisfaction 增长
参考例句:
  • a crown studded with gems 镶有宝石的皇冠
  • The apt citations and poetic gems have adorned his speeches. 贴切的引语和珠玑般的诗句为他的演说词增添文采。
11 ruby iXixS     
n.红宝石,红宝石色
参考例句:
  • She is wearing a small ruby earring.她戴着一枚红宝石小耳环。
  • On the handle of his sword sat the biggest ruby in the world.他的剑柄上镶有一颗世上最大的红宝石。
12 sapphire ETFzw     
n.青玉,蓝宝石;adj.天蓝色的
参考例句:
  • Now let us consider crystals such as diamond or sapphire.现在让我们考虑象钻石和蓝宝石这样的晶体。
  • He left a sapphire ring to her.他留给她一枚蓝宝石戒指。
13 dealers 95e592fc0f5dffc9b9616efd02201373     
n.商人( dealer的名词复数 );贩毒者;毒品贩子;发牌者
参考例句:
  • There was fast bidding between private collectors and dealers. 私人收藏家和交易商急速竞相喊价。
  • The police were corrupt and were operating in collusion with the drug dealers. 警察腐败,与那伙毒品贩子内外勾结。
14 stigma WG2z4     
n.耻辱,污名;(花的)柱头
参考例句:
  • Being an unmarried mother used to carry a social stigma.做未婚母亲在社会上曾是不光彩的事。
  • The stigma of losing weighed heavily on the team.失败的耻辱让整个队伍压力沉重。
15 thaw fUYz5     
v.(使)融化,(使)变得友善;n.融化,缓和
参考例句:
  • The snow is beginning to thaw.雪已开始融化。
  • The spring thaw caused heavy flooding.春天解冻引起了洪水泛滥。
16 noted 5n4zXc     
adj.著名的,知名的
参考例句:
  • The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
  • Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。
17 investors dffc64354445b947454450e472276b99     
n.投资者,出资者( investor的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
  • a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会
18 proceeding Vktzvu     
n.行动,进行,(pl.)会议录,学报
参考例句:
  • This train is now proceeding from Paris to London.这次列车从巴黎开往伦敦。
  • The work is proceeding briskly.工作很有生气地进展着。
19 equity ji8zp     
n.公正,公平,(无固定利息的)股票
参考例句:
  • They shared the work of the house with equity.他们公平地分担家务。
  • To capture his equity,Murphy must either sell or refinance.要获得资产净值,墨菲必须出售或者重新融资。
20 waived 5fb1561b535ff0e477b379c4a7edcd74     
v.宣布放弃( waive的过去式和过去分词 );搁置;推迟;放弃(权利、要求等)
参考例句:
  • He has waived all claim to the money. 他放弃了索取这笔钱的权利。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • I waived the discourse, and began to talk of my business. 我撇开了这个话题,开始讲我的事情。 来自辞典例句
21 unprecedented 7gSyJ     
adj.无前例的,新奇的
参考例句:
  • The air crash caused an unprecedented number of deaths.这次空难的死亡人数是空前的。
  • A flood of this sort is really unprecedented.这样大的洪水真是十年九不遇。

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