China announced yesterday it will impose a second round of tariffs on imports of US chicken products of as much as 31.4 per cent, raising the temperature in the ongoing trade tussles between the two countries.

　　中國昨日宣布將對從美國進口的肉雞產品開征第二輪關稅，稅率最高達31.4%，此舉導致兩國之間的持續貿易角力升溫。

　　The commerce ministry said the new tariffs were a response to what it said were unfair subsidies given to poultry farmers in the US. The duties come on top of tariffs of up to 105.4 per cent that China placed on US poultry two months ago because of alleged dumping.

　　中國商務部表示，新關稅是對其所稱的美國肉雞生產者得到的不公平補貼的回應。2個月前中國曾以美國在華傾銷為由對美國肉雞產品開征最高達105.4%的關稅，新關稅將在此基礎之上另行征收。

　　The new tariffs come at a time when economic friction between the two countries appeared to be relaxing, after the US Treasury department delayed its decision over whether to label China a currency manipulator and signals from Beijing that it will abandon its dollar peg.

　　新關稅出爐之際，中美兩國的經濟摩擦似乎正在放緩，此前美國財政部決定推遲決定是否將中國列為匯率操縱國，而北京方面發出信號暗示，中國將放棄盯住美元的匯率政策。

　　It is a reminder of the number of thorny bilateral trade issues between the two countries, following the Obama administration's decision to levy tariffs on Chinese tyres in September.

　　此舉提醒人們，自奧巴馬政府去年9月決定對中國輪胎開征關稅后，中美兩國間棘手的雙邊貿易問題之多。

　　The decision all but closes off what had become a lucrative side-business for the US poultry industry after China became its biggest export market, with sales of $722m in 2008. Chinese consumers favour chicken wings and feet, parts of the bird that are usually shunned in the US, which means they can fetch prices 20 times higher in the Chinese market.

　　中方的這一決定幾乎是對美國肉雞業關上了最大出口市場的大門；此前對華出口已成為美國肉雞業盈利頗豐的“副業”，2008年銷售額達到7.22億美元。中國消費者喜愛雞翅和雞爪，而雞的這些部位在美國通常是無人敢碰的，這意味著它們在中國市場可以賣到20倍于本土市場的價格。

　　Although there have been complaints from Chinese companies for several years about surging US chicken imports, Beijing announced it would investigate US poultry imports two days after the US decision to impose tariffs on Chinese imports of tyres. It was angered by the tyre duties because they used the safeguard provisions under China's World Trade Organisation accession agreement which can be invoked if there is a surge in imports from China.

　　雖然多年來中國企業一直在抱怨美國肉雞產品進口激增，但北京方面在美方決定對中國輸美輪胎征收關稅兩天后才宣布將調查美國肉雞產品進口。中國被輪胎關稅激怒，因為美方動用了中國加入世界貿易組織(WTO)協議中的特保條款；若從中國進口的產品出現激增，便可動用該條款。

　　This is the first time China has imposed duties on imports of agricultural goods on the grounds of alleged subsidies. Similar duties were placed on some US specialist steel products last year. The commerce ministry did not say how it had calculated the level of subsidies received by US farmers, although it said they were the result of the subsidised corn and soyabeans used in chicken feed.

　　這是中國首次以據稱的補貼為由，對進口農產品征收關稅。去年中國還對美國的某些特種鋼材產品開征了類似關稅。中國商務部并未說明它是如何計算美國農民得到的補貼水平的，盡管它表示，這些補貼是雞飼料中的玉米和大豆受到補貼的結果。

　　Under the new ruling, US companies that submitted information to the Chinese government investigation, such as Pilgrim's Pride and Tyson Foods, would face duties of 3.8 per cent to 11.2 per cent, while companies which did not co-operate would face duties of 31.4 per cent.

　　根據這項新裁定，已向中國政府的調查提交信息的美國企業，如Pilgrim's Pride和泰森食品(Tyson Foods)，將面臨3.8% 至11.2%的關稅，而未給予合作的美國企業將面臨31.4%的關稅。