評論
打印
High-tech sanitation
高科技環(huán)衛(wèi)
Race to the bottom
抄底競價(jià)
A rush to buy Japanese toilet-seats prompts soul-searching in China
趕著趟購買日本馬桶蓋引出中國的自我反省
JAPAN is often viewed with antipathy in China, but increasingly commerce is trumping contempt. During the lunar new-year holiday in February, Chinese tourists thronged to Japan in record numbers. Many came home lugging a high-end Japanese luxury: a heated toilet-seat complete with pulsating water jets, deodorisers and even music to drown out less melodious tinklings. In recent weeks the run on Japanese loos has been a topic of much debate among Chinese commentators, revealing deep insecurities.
中國人總是很反感日本，但是， 兩國間愈發(fā)頻繁的貿(mào)易活動正悄然淡化這種藐視感。 在中國農(nóng)歷的新年假期，也就是二月份，涌入日本的中國游客數(shù)目創(chuàng)下了歷史新高。許多人都拖著一個日系高端奢侈品回家：加熱馬桶蓋。這個馬桶蓋自帶全套脈動水射流、除臭劑，甚至可以發(fā)出音樂鈴聲來蓋過那些不怎么悅耳的聲音。最近幾周，日本馬桶管理的話題一直在中國評論員間引發(fā)爭論，透露出深深的不安感。
Chinese visitors bought more high-tech lavatory seats than almost any other Japanese product during the week-long break, according to Hottolink, a Japanese consulting firm. Most popular was a new variety with hands-free lid opening, say staff at a branch in Tokyo of Bic Camera, a consumer electronics store where Chinese shoppers are so numerous that signs advertise wares in Chinese and assistants speak Mandarin. These cost around 65,000 (540). Some bought several seats, including portable, battery-powered ones.
日本咨詢公司Hottolink稱，在為期一周的休假中，中國游客購買高科技馬桶蓋的數(shù)量幾乎超過了其他任何的日本產(chǎn)品。消費(fèi)電子產(chǎn)品店必酷（Bic Camera）里的中國消費(fèi)者眾多，它在中國簽下了廣告商品，店員會講普通話。其東京分店的工作人員說，最受歡迎的是一個新品種，它的馬桶蓋能自動打開。這些馬桶蓋的成本在人民幣65,000元左右（合540美元）。有的中國游客買了好幾個馬桶蓋，有便攜式的，也有電池供電的。
Relations between China and Japan have shown recent, tentative signs of warmth after a long chill. But only three years ago demonstrators in several Chinese cities called for a boycott of Japanese goods in protest against Japan's stance in a still-festering dispute over uninhabited islands in the East China Sea. Some Japanese companies responded by minimising or hiding their branding on products sold in China.
最近，中日關(guān)系在經(jīng)歷了漫長的寒冬后顯現(xiàn)出初步回暖的跡象。但僅僅三年之前，中國幾個城市的示威者呼吁抵制日貨，以抗議日本對中國東海無人居住島嶼上一貫存有爭議且不斷惡化的立場。對此，一些日本企業(yè)的應(yīng)對是最小化中國市場份額，或是在對中銷售的產(chǎn)品上隱去品牌。
China's state-controlled media have found little comfort in the discovery that many Japanese loos are actually made-to-order in China, a situation that is not confined to the water closet. Many Chinese consumers do not trust the reliability of such items sold at home—and refuse to pay the often higher prices charged for export-standard goods.
實(shí)際上，很多日本馬桶蓋是在中國定做的，這類情況并不僅限于抽水馬桶，中國國有媒體從這些發(fā)現(xiàn)中獲得了些許安慰。許多中國消費(fèi)者不相信在本國出售的這些產(chǎn)品的可靠性，并拒絕支付因收取出口貨物標(biāo)準(zhǔn)使然往往較高的價(jià)格。
The thorny issue was even raised during meetings this month of China's parliament and its advisory body. The prime minister, Li Keqiang, chimed in, calling for Chinese firms to raise the quality of their own seats. “At least that could save consumers the price of a plane ticket,” he said. Relations between the two countries may become bogged down in yet another intractable rivalry.
這一棘手的問題甚至在中國本月的兩會期間被提出。總理李克強(qiáng)表態(tài)，呼吁中國企業(yè)提升自己的產(chǎn)品質(zhì)量。他說，“起碼能為消費(fèi)者省下機(jī)票錢”。中日兩國之間的關(guān)系可能會因此深陷另一個棘手競爭。譯者：駱琪
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