美國敦促歐洲應該刺激經濟增長

The US and Canada have urged the EU to resolve its internal political differences and do more to stimulate its economy, amid concerns the bloc could impede a global recovery as geopolitical tensions and financial market risks grow.

美國和加拿大敦促歐盟(EU)解決內部政治分歧，並進一步刺激經濟。目前各方擔心隨着地緣政治緊張加劇，金融市場風險增多，歐元區可能拖累全球經濟復甦。

“If the efforts to boost demand are deferred for too long there is a risk that the headwinds get stronger,” Jack Lew, US Treasury secretary, said yesterday at a G20 meeting of finance ministers and central bankers.

美國財政部長傑克•盧(Jack Lew)昨日在20國集團(G20)財長和央行行長會議上表示：“如果遲遲不努力擴大需求，經濟逆風可能會越刮越強。”

He said the US had “philosophical differences with our friends in Europe” and called on European countries to agree to boost short-term demand to stimulate growth.

他說美國“與我們的歐洲朋友存在理念上的分歧”，並呼籲歐洲各國同意提振短期需求以刺激經濟增長。

The pressure exerted by the EU’s international partners comes amid a fractious debate within the eurozone over the best way to boost growth. France and Italy are pushing for fiscal stimulus while Germany is an advocate of budgetary restraint.

在歐盟遭到國際夥伴施壓同時，歐元區內部正就提高增長的最佳方式展開激烈辯論。法國和意大利正推動財政刺激，而德國倡導預算剋制。

Mario Draghi, president of the European Central Bank, last month urged governments to match the central bank’s efforts to revive the economy with growth-boosting measures of their own. Mr Draghi urged members states with room to spend, such as Germany, to raid their fiscal coffers, while at the same time demanding France and Italy revamp their economies through labour market reforms.

歐洲央行行長馬里奧•德拉吉(Mario Draghi)上月敦促各國政府配合央行努力，推出各自的刺激增長措施以重振經濟。德拉吉敦促尚有支出餘力的成員國——如德國——花掉一部分財政資金，同時要求法國和意大利通過改革勞動力市場來重整經濟。

The G20, which represents 85 per cent of the global economy, said it agreed a suite of structural reform measures that would boost collective growth by an additional 1.8 per cent above the trajectory implied by current policies over the next five years. This is just short of a 2 per cent target, which ministers claim would add about $2tn to the world economy by 2018. Extra measures are expected to be agreed at a G20 leaders’ summit in November.

20國集團（佔全球經濟總量85%）表示同意一整套結構改革措施，未來5年，這些措施將在當前政策預示的經濟軌跡基礎上提振集體增長1.8%，僅比2%的目標略低一些，部長們聲稱至2018年此舉將給全球經濟增添約2萬億美元。20國集團領導人預計將在11月峯會上同意更多措施。

Nonetheless, economists expect the International Monetary Fund to revise down its forecast for global growth next month. Concerns about the risk of deflation in Europe, weakening growth in China and a potential stalling in Japan’s economic stimulus after a rise in consumption taxes hung over the gathering in Cairns.

不過，經濟學家們預計，國際貨幣基金組織(IMF)下個月會下調對全球經濟增長的預測。歐洲面臨通縮風險，中國經濟增長走弱，日本在消費稅上漲後經濟刺激效果可能停滯，這些方面的擔心籠罩在澳大利亞凱恩斯市舉行的20國集團會議上。

“Downside risks persist, including in financial markets and from geopolitical tensions. The global economy still faces persistent weaknesses in demand, and supply-side constraints hamper growth,” said the G20 communiqué issued after the meeting yesterday.

昨日會議後發佈的20國集團公報指出：“下行風險依然存在，包括金融市場內的風險和來自地緣政治緊張的風險。全球經濟仍面臨需求持續低迷，同時供應方制約正阻礙增長。”

The US has been a persistent critic of Europe’s response to the financial crisis, arguing that countries with a large trade surplus such as Germany should invest more and cut taxes to boost growth.

美國一直在批評歐洲對金融危機的反應，認爲德國等擁有大量貿易順差的國家應當加大投資力度，還應減稅來刺激經濟增長。

Canada waded into the debate yesterday, urging Europe to act to tackle its “insipid growth”.

加拿大昨日也介入這場辯論，敦促歐洲採取行動對付其“乏力的增長”。

“Strong action and political leadership is needed to ensure growth in the region does not settle on to a persistently weak path,” said Joe Oliver, Canada’s finance minister.

加拿大財長喬•奧利弗(Joe Oliver)表示：“爲確保該地區經濟增長不會陷入持續疲軟的軌道，需要強有力的政治領導和強有力的行動。”

Any hope of a change of heart in Berlin was dashed before the meeting had even begun, with Wolfgang Schäuble, Germany’s finance minister, warning against debt-financed growth.

早在此次會議開始前，德國財長沃爾夫岡•朔伊布勒(Wolfgang Schäuble)對債務推動的經濟增長髮出警告，打消了外界對於德國政府會改變態度的期待。