Under review: trade policy

http://espresso.economist.com/a3d2924150c8fc0c437925e9bc080941 -- Dec 17th 2018

Under review: trade policy

Today America faces a biennial review by other World Trade Organisation members.

• biennial 两年一次的

These are detailed.

America received more than 1,600 written questions during the last one.

Longstanding complaints will come up, regarding America’s preference for local suppliers in government procurement and its heavy use of defensive duties on products including steel.

• come up 上来；出现；发生
• preference 偏爱；爱好；喜爱；偏爱的事物
• Longstanding 长期存在的；长期的
• procurement （尤指为政府或机构）采购

New questions will surface, too.

Countries are likely to highlight the Trump administration’s new and broader tariffs on steel and aluminium in the name of national security, its unilateral action against the Chinese and its habit of hobbling the WTO’s dispute-resolution system.

• aluminium 铝
• in the name of 以…的名义；以……名义；以…为借口
• national security 国家安全
• unilateral 单方的
• hobble 跛行 (along； about)；(说话,行动)疙疙瘩瘩

But the Americans can retort that other members are being hypocritical.

• retort 反击；回嘴；顶嘴
• hypocritical 伪善的；虚伪；虚伪的

At the very least, America’s tariffs are out in the open.

• At the very least 至少；起码；最低限度
• tariffs 关税制度；关税问题；关税表项目
• in the open 公开

Other trade-distorting behaviours, such as China’s and India’s subsidies for firms and farmers, are substantial but better hidden from scrutiny.

• distort 扭曲；变形；歪曲
• subsidy 补贴；补助金
• substantial 大量的；价值巨大的；重大的；大而坚固的

Rules mean little if they are simply violated in secret.