With thunderclouds looming over the trans-Atlantic economy, it was easy to miss a bright piece of news last weekend from the other crucible of world trade, the Pacific Rim. In Honolulu, where Barack Obama hosted a summit of Asia-Pacific leaders, Canada, Japan and Mexico expressed interest in joining nine countries (America, Australia, Brunei, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam) in discussing a free-trade pact. Altogether, the possible members of the Trans-Pacific Partnership(TPP) produce 40％ of world GDP—far more than the European Union.
Regional trade deals are not always a good idea. If they distract policymakers from global trade liberalization, they are to be discouraged. But with the Doha round of global trade talks showing no flicker of life, there is little danger that the TPP will derail a broader agreement; and by cutting barriers, strengthening intellectual-property protections and going beyond a web of existing trade deals, it should boost world trade.
The creation of a wider TPP is still some way off. For it to come into being its architects—Mr. Obama, who faces a tough election battle next year, and Japan’s Yoshihiko Noda, who faces crony politics laced with passionate protectionism-need to show more leadership.
Mr. Noda’s announcement on November 11th that Japan was interested in joining the TPP negotiations was an exceedingly bold move. Signing up would mean dramatic changes in Japan, a country which has 800％tariffs on rice and exports 65 vehicles to America for every one that is sent to Japan. Mr. Noda’s move could also transform the prospects of the TPP, most obviously by uniting two of the world’s leading three economies but also by galvanizing others. Until he expressed an interest, Canada and Mexico had also remained on the sidelines. Unwittingly or not, Mr. Noda has thrust mercantilist Japan into a central position on a trade treaty in which free movement of everything except labor is on the tabl
- A.An inspiring idea to liberalize transpacific trade hinges on the courage of America and, especially, Japan
- B.TPP is meant to engage and incorporate China, rather than constrain it
- C.The farming and health care industries in Japan would be severely affected by the TPP
- D.TPP as a Washington-led sideswipe at China will win support in Japan and add to a more liberalized Asia-Pacific region
正确答案及解析
正确答案
解析
主旨题，从全文来看，本文旨在说明要建立TPP，美国和日本需要作出不懈努力，特别是日本。文章在简单介绍了在火奴鲁鲁召开的“a summit of Asia-Pacific leaders”和“TPP”的优势之后，在第三段提到要创建“a wider TPP”还需要很长的路要走，作为创建者，Mr. Obama和Yoshihiko Noda需要表现出更强的领导力。之后文章分别阐述了日本和美国需要作出的努力。例如Mr. Noda需要协调党派之间和党内反对派，以及民众的呼声；还需要争取时间以便使日本神圣的“farming and health care industry”做调整。美国也需要作出相应改变，比如从文章倒数第二段可以看出，奥巴马必须忍受国内汽车工业联合会对于和日本贸易不公的抱怨，同时也要强调TPP意图“engage and incorporate”中国而非“constrain it”。但是相对于日本，“costing America little”。由此可知，A选项说放宽泛太平洋地区贸易的想法，源自于美国、尤其是日本的勇气是正确的。