01-22-08

中国拒绝向缅甸施压呼吁 (China Rejects Calls for Pressure on Burma)

中国拒绝向盟友缅甸加大施压的要求。中国外交部发言人姜瑜星期二在记者会上说，北京不相信对缅甸实施制裁和施加压力有助于问题的解决。

在她做出这个评论之前，中国资深外交政策顾问唐家璇和作为特使访问中国的缅甸副外长在北京举行了会谈。

由包括中国在内的15个成员国组成的联合国安理会上个星期批评缅甸实施民主改革的动作太慢。

姜瑜还说，中国支持联合国特使甘巴里的工作，并希望提出他下一次访问缅甸的时间表。

China has rejected demands for stepped up pressure on ally Burma. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Jiang Yu told a news conference Tuesday that Beijing does not believe sanctions and applying pressure on Burma are helpful to the resolution of issues.

Her comment followed a meeting Monday in Beijing between senior Chinese foreign policy adviser Tang Jiaxuan and Burmese Deputy Foreign Minister U Maung Myint, who was visiting as a special envoy.

The 15-member UN Security Council, including China, criticized Burma last week for being too slow in bringing about democratic reforms.

Jiang also said China supports the work of UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari and wants a timetable set for his next visit to Burma.

美中央银行在全球股市抛售后降息 (US Central Bank Slashes Interest Rates After Global Stock Sell-off)

美国中央银行联邦储备委员会将主要联邦利率削减0.75%，希望以此振作出现问题的美国经济，并阻挡全球股市抛售的趋势。美联储的行动将新的利率降低到3.5%。

美联储在一份声明中说，美联储采取这项减息行动是鉴于经济前景趋于疲软，信贷市场不断收紧进而限制商业发展。

在过去两天里，全球各地股市加速下滑，因为投资者担心，美国经济放慢会伤害与美国有贸易关系的许多国家的商务。

The U.S. central bank， the Federal Reserve， has cut the key federal interest rate by three-quarters of one percent, in an effort to boost the troubled U.S. economy and stem a sell-off in global stock markets. The Federal Reserve action puts the new rate at three-point-five percent.

A statement issued by the Fed says it took the action in light of "weakening" economic outlook and tight credit that is hampering business.

Stock markets around the world have been in an accelerated decline for the past two days, as investors worry that a slowing U.S. economy could hurt businesses in the many nations that trade with the United States.