bilateral relations. The two neighbors are engaged in high-level talks to
restore ties after the border was closed in 1993.
For Mr Obama, this means pulling off a difficult balancing act. In the longer term, if he has not managed to seduce China (and for that matter India and Brazil) more firmly into the liberal multilateral system by the time he leaves office, then historians may judge him a failure.
The Wall Street Journal leads its worldwide newsbox with Obama's video message to Iran's government and its people that encouraged them to create a new relationship with the United States (watch it here). The message was set to coincide with the Persian holiday of Nowruz, and the president said the celebrations could mark a "new day" in bilateral relations between the two countries.
China to allow US inspections of exports
By Richard McGregor in BeijingPublished: December 12 2007 02:00 | Last updated: December 12 2007 02:00
US inspectors will be allowed into China to monitor the quality standards of Chinese food and drugs exports under the terms of agreements negotiated in the wake of the product safety scandals that have damaged China's "national image".
In return, under a series of bilateral agreements, the US will allow Chinese tour groups easier access to the US. Tourism visas to the US are, at present, difficult to obtain for Chinese and the move is likely to lead to a sharp jump in the number of tourists to the US.
The ministerial-level negotiations in Beijing yesterday got off to a testy start, with Wu Yi, a vice-premier, complaining that exaggerated US reports about shoddy and unsafe Chinese products had tarnished China. "The US media hyped about the -quality of Chinese exports, causing serious damage to China's national image," she said.
In spite of its annoyance, China acceded to Washington's demands to allow US officials to go to factories in China to check whether goods for export meet US quality standards.
The talks in Beijing, part of a regular exchange on trade disputes, will be followed by a two-day meeting of ministers, led by Ms Wu and Hank Paulson, the US Treasury secretary, who will also press the product safety issue.
The 14 different agreements, or memoranda of understanding, signed yesterday testified to the depth of a bilateral engagement in a host of areas, such as the environment, technology, biofuels and health.
Mike Leavitt, the US secretary of health and human services, said the agreements on standards for drugs, medical devices, food and animal feed showed the two sides were trying to "bridge" different regulatory systems. But he said Washington would enforce its standards, exacting "higher penalties" on exporters who breached US standards.
"The most severe penalty, and the swiftest penalty, is to be eliminated from access to American consumers," he said.
The talks, initiated by Mr Paulson, are designed to take a more strategic view -of the relationship, freed of the often tense haggling that characterises trade discussions.
Sino-US relations remain bedevilled by numerous issues, most recently the issue of product safety but, more fundamentally, by Washington's complaints that Beijing uses a range of policies to favour local industries and exporters.
In return, under a series of bilateral agreements, the US will allow Chinese tour groups easier access to the US. Tourism visas to the US are, at present, difficult to obtain for Chinese and the move is likely to lead to a sharp jump in the number of tourists to the US.
The ministerial-level negotiations in Beijing yesterday got off to a testy start, with Wu Yi, a vice-premier, complaining that exaggerated US reports about shoddy and unsafe Chinese products had tarnished China. "The US media hyped about the -quality of Chinese exports, causing serious damage to China's national image," she said.
In spite of its annoyance, China acceded to Washington's demands to allow US officials to go to factories in China to check whether goods for export meet US quality standards.
The talks in Beijing, part of a regular exchange on trade disputes, will be followed by a two-day meeting of ministers, led by Ms Wu and Hank Paulson, the US Treasury secretary, who will also press the product safety issue.
The 14 different agreements, or memoranda of understanding, signed yesterday testified to the depth of a bilateral engagement in a host of areas, such as the environment, technology, biofuels and health.
Mike Leavitt, the US secretary of health and human services, said the agreements on standards for drugs, medical devices, food and animal feed showed the two sides were trying to "bridge" different regulatory systems. But he said Washington would enforce its standards, exacting "higher penalties" on exporters who breached US standards.
"The most severe penalty, and the swiftest penalty, is to be eliminated from access to American consumers," he said.
The talks, initiated by Mr Paulson, are designed to take a more strategic view -of the relationship, freed of the often tense haggling that characterises trade discussions.
Sino-US relations remain bedevilled by numerous issues, most recently the issue of product safety but, more fundamentally, by Washington's complaints that Beijing uses a range of policies to favour local industries and exporters.
Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2007
noun
1 [C or U] (an action or event that causes) a public feeling of shock and strong moral disapproval:
a financial/political/sex scandal
Their affair caused/created a scandal in the office.
The scandal broke (= became public knowledge) right at the beginning of the Conservative Party Conference.
If there is the slightest suggestion/hint of scandal, the public will no longer trust us.
2 [U] reports about actions or events that cause shock and disapproval:
Some magazines contain nothing but scandal and gossip.
to spread scandal
3 [S] a situation that is extremely bad:
[+ (that)] It's a scandal (that) children could be treated in this way.It's a scandal (that) such thing should be possible.....竟會有這等事 真不像樣 /真可恥
It's the scandal of the poetry that 'contingent' features of sound and rhythm systematically infect and affect thought.
--Literary Theory: A Very Short Introduction by Jonathan Culler, Oxford University Press, 1997, p.79
南京譯林出版社 "文學理論入門" 翻譯差--對詩歌的毀謗認為聲音和韻律的"偶然性"系統地侵入並影響了思維。（第83頁）
HC改成
「聲音和韻律的"偶然性"，竟系統地污染並影響詩歌，真是憾事。」
scandalize, UK USUALLY scandalise Show phonetics
verb [T often passive]
If you are scandalized by someone's behaviour, you disapprove of it and are shocked by it because you think it is immoral:
The whole village was scandalized by her second marriage.
scandalous Show phonetics
adjective
scandalous stories
It's scandalous (= very annoying and upsetting) that we do so little to prevent homelessness.
scandalously Show phonetics
adverb
scandalously (= extremely and annoyingly) expensive
adjective
involving two groups or countries:
France and Germany have signed a bilateral agreement to help prevent drug smuggling.
Compare multilateral; unilateral.
bilaterally
multilateral
adjective
involving more than two groups or countries:
Seven countries are taking part in the multilateral talks.
Compare bilateral; unilateral.
“scandal”是很常見的英文字眼，不過，如果不注意它的平常用法：
3 [S] a situation that is extremely bad:
[+ (that)] It's a scandal (that) children could be treated in this way.
It's a scandal (that) such thing should be possible.....竟會有這等事 真不像樣 /真可恥也很容易出錯，譬如說；
It's the scandal of the poetry that 'contingent' features of sound and rhythm systematically infect and affect thought.
--Literary Theory: A Very Short Introduction by Jonathan Culler, Oxford University Press, 1997, p.79
南京譯林出版社 "文學理論入門" (2008)翻譯差--對詩歌的毀謗認為聲音和韻律的"偶然性"系統地侵入並影響了思維。（第83頁）
[+ (that)] It's a scandal (that) children could be treated in this way.
It's a scandal (that) such thing should be possible.....竟會有這等事 真不像樣 /真可恥也很容易出錯，譬如說；
It's the scandal of the poetry that 'contingent' features of sound and rhythm systematically infect and affect thought.
--Literary Theory: A Very Short Introduction by Jonathan Culler, Oxford University Press, 1997, p.79
南京譯林出版社 "文學理論入門" (2008)翻譯差--對詩歌的毀謗認為聲音和韻律的"偶然性"系統地侵入並影響了思維。（第83頁）
HC改成
「聲音和韻律的"偶然性"，竟系統地污染並影響詩歌，真是憾事。」
參考bedevil, scandal
bedevil Show phonetics
verb [T] -ll- or US USUALLY -l-
to confuse, annoy or cause problems or difficulties for someone or something:
Ever since I started playing tennis, I've been bedevilled by back pains.
━━ vt. （-ll-） 悩ます, まどわす; わざわいをもたらす; 悪魔をとりつかせる.
be・devil・ment ━━ n.
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