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Intriguingly, after the new deal was announced it refrained from mentioning any numerical targets.
有趣的是，新協議宣布后，其也沒有提及任何數字目標。
Whether that is because it is embarrassed about having been forced into such a concession,
不管是因為它對被迫做出這樣的讓步感到尷尬，
or because the purchase agreements are not as solid as American officials suggest, will become clear only when the text is eventually published.
還是因為購買協議并不像美國官員所說的那么可靠，只有在最終公布文本時，情況才會變得明朗。
The Chinese do, however, seem to have made some welcome promises.
然而，中國人似乎做出了一些可喜的承諾。
Mr Lighthizer boasted of commitments on intellectual property similar to, albeit narrower than, those in the USMCA,
萊特希澤吹噓自己在知識產權方面的承諾與USMCA
a recently agreed trade deal between America, Mexico and Canada. He also said the Chinese authorities had agreed not to ask multinationals
（美國、墨西哥和加拿大簽署的貿易協議）的承諾類似，只是范圍要窄一些。他還表示中國當局已經同意不要求跨國公司
to hand over technology as part of the process of securing a licence to do business—
在獲得經營許可的過程中交出技術—
an issue central to America's first tariff action in the trade war.
這是美國在貿易戰中首次采取關稅行動的核心問題。
Jake Parker of the US-China Business Council, a lobby group for American companies operating in China,
在華經營的美國公司游說團體，美中貿易全國委員會的杰克·帕克指出，
notes that such tech transfer was the biggest concern for many of his group's members.
這種技術轉移是該協會許多成員最關心的問題。
The Chinese, for their part, insisted that their promises were in line with their broader economic strategy of opening up,
而中國方面則堅稱，他們的承諾符合更廣泛的經濟開放戰略，
and would improve the business environment.
并將提升商業環境。
Indeed, cynics will note that many of the reforms being chalked up to the deal had already started,
事實上，懷疑者將注意到許多與該協議有關的改革措施已經開始了，
raising questions about whether the nearly two-year-long trade battle has made much difference.
這引發人們的疑問：這場持續近兩年的貿易戰是否帶來了很大的變化？
Until the deal is signed, the threat of renewed trade hostilities remains. And even then, the enforcement rules will cause anxiety.
在協議簽署之前，貿易敵對狀態重新抬頭的威脅依然存在。即便如此，實施規則也會引發焦慮。
Mr Lighthizer, hardly an independent arbiter, will have the final say over whether China has broken its commitments.
萊特希澤幾乎不是一個獨立的仲裁人，他將對中國是否違反承諾擁有最終決定權。
He will be able to consider anonymous complaints by American companies.
他將能夠考慮美國公司的匿名投訴。
This fixes a real problem—fear of retaliation that leads executives to hold their tongues.
這解決了一個真正的問題—害怕報復導致高管們保持沉默。
But it also risks the Chinese feeling that they are being accused of misdeeds they can neither verify nor easily fix.
但這也可能讓中國人覺得，他們被指控犯有既無法核實、也不容易糾正的罪行。
Both sides said that the success of the first phase of talks would determine success in the second,
雙方都表示第一階段談判的成功將決定第二階段談判的成功，
which would presumably unlock further tariff cuts. Mr Lighthizer spoke of climbing a mountain a bit at a time. But the summit is still distant.
而第二階段談判的成功，可能將推動進一步的關稅削減。萊特希澤談到了一次爬一座山。但峰會仍遙遙無期。
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