A surge in imports from China pushed the US trade gap sharply higher in May, adding to a stream of weak data for the Obama administration already under pressure over the economy and stagnant jobs market.

　　在来自中国进口激增的推动下，美国5月份的贸易逆差大幅扩大。已因经济和就业市场低迷而承压的奥巴马(Obama)政府，又迎来了一连串疲弱数据中的最新一个。

　　The trade deficit grew by 4.8 per cent to $42.3bn, according to commerce department figures, the highest since November 2008 and at odds with the consensus of economists, who forecast the gap would shrink in May.

　　美国商务部的数据显示，美国5月份的贸易逆差扩大4.8%，至423亿美元。这是2008年11月以来最大规模的月度贸易逆差。该结果与经济学家们的共识相左——经济学家们曾预测，5月份的贸易逆差将收窄。

　　Imports from China, which is the country's most politically sensitive trading partner, rose by nearly 12 per cent. That inflated the US trade gap with China by more than 15 per cent to $22.3bn, the biggest since last October.

　　美国从中国进口增加近12%，对华贸易逆差由此扩大逾15%，至223亿美元——这一规模是去年10月以来最大的。中国是美国最具政治敏感性的贸易伙伴。

　　Last week, official Chinese figures showed exports from China had surged 44 per cent year-on-year in June, lifting its monthly trade surplus to $20bn. Such imbalances infuriate US political leaders, despite China's decision last month to end its near-two-year peg to the dollar.

　　上周，中国官方数字显示，中国6月份的出口额同比飙升44%，月度贸易顺差由此扩大至200亿美元。尽管中国上月决定终止实施近两年之久的人民币盯住美元政策，但中美间的这种不平衡仍令美国政界领袖们感到愤怒。

　　Michael Feroli, an economist at JPMorgan Chase, said the surge in imports of Chinese goods in May could be temporary, as Chinese exporters rushed shipments ahead of a reduction in export tax rebates that takes effect on July 15.

　　摩根大通(JPMorgan Chase)经济学家迈克尔•费罗利(Michael Feroli)表示，5月份美国从中国进口的激增可能是暂时现象，它是由中国出口商纷纷赶在出口退税下调于7月15日生效前发货导致的。

　　But the overall trend of a resurgent trade deficit will concern the administration, which has focused on lifting exports to create jobs at home.

　　不过，美国贸易逆差再度扩大的总体趋势仍会让奥巴马政府感到不安。奥巴马政府已集中精力扩大出口，力图在国内创造就业机会。

　　Mr Obama, after largely letting trade policy languish during the first 18 months of his administration, recently announced a drive to double exports within five years and promised progress on three long-stalled bilateral trade deals.

　　在上任后的头18个月里，奥巴马对美国贸易政策基本上采取听任态度。但他近期宣布了一项在五年内推动美国出口翻番的计划，还承诺要在三项长期陷于停顿的双边贸易协议上取得进展。

　　But few economists think the plan will have much impact. The proposal involves limited concrete actions beyond some bureaucratic reshuffling, a commitment to redouble efforts on marketing and a proposal to increase the activity of the Ex-Im Bank, the US official export credit agency.

　　然而，几乎没有经济学家认为上述计划会产生很大影响。该计划包括一些官僚重组、一项加大营销努力的承诺以及一项加大美国进出口银行(Ex-Im Bank)活跃度的方案，除此之外仅涉及有限的具体行动。美国进出口银行是美国官方出口信贷机构。

　　The persistent US trade gap had narrowed in the initial months of the recession from late 2008, but analysts said yesterday the swelling shortfall could knock a percentage point from gross domestic product in the second quarter. Although exports have been growing in recent months as world trade continues to recover from a plunge last year, the strong dollar and the lack of domestic demand in the rest of the world mean the contribution of net trade to economic growth is likely to be negative over the next two years.

　　美国持续多年的贸易逆差曾在始于2008年底的本次衰退的头几个月里收窄，而分析师们昨日表示，不断膨胀的贸易逆差可能会使美国二季度国内生产总值(GDP)减少一个百分点。尽管近几个月来，随着全球贸易从去年的骤降中持续复苏，美国的出口一直在增长，但强势美元和世界其它地区国内需求的不足意味着，未来两年里，美国净贸易额对经济增长的贡献很可能为负值。

　　“Less domestic production, because of increased imports and less demand for higher-priced US exports, means less job creation in the manufacturing sector, a higher unemployment rate, and less income growth domestically,” said Stuart Hoffman, chief economist at PNC.

　　PNC首席经济学家斯图尔特•霍夫曼(Stuart Hoffman)表示：“由于美国进口增加以及外国对价格较高的美国出口商品的需求减少，美国的国内生产在萎缩，这将导致美国制造业创造的就业机会减少、失业率升高和国内收入增长下降。”