原文網址：http://0rz.tw/ec4JL
Taking another road
Aug 21st 2008
From The Economist print edition
China finds a way to cut car imports without offending the WTO
LESS than a month after losing its first legal dispute with the World
Trade Organisation (WTO), China has introduced a new tax that will
achieve much of what it originally wanted, only by another route.
Moreover, it is a “green” tax. Who could object to that?
在輸掉與世貿組織第一次的官司之後不到一個月，中國開徵了一種新稅來達成
她原本的目的，這次是藉由另一種方式。而且這種新稅可是一種「環保稅」喔，
可說完全站得住腳。
For the past few years China has imposed a special 25% tariff on
imported car parts, rather than the usual 10%, if the parts made up
more than half of the value of a vehicle. (Imported new cars are also
subject to a 25% tariff.) This was to encourage foreign carmakers to
use more local suppliers and reduce imports. But America, the European
Union and Canada argued that the tariff was against WTO rules. In
July the WTO, based in Geneva, agreed.
在過去幾年，如果進口車輛零件的價值超過車輛價值的一半，中國會對這些零件
課徵特別關稅，稅率達25％，而非一般的10％。（進口新車也適用這25％的關稅稅率）
這種政策的目的是為了鼓勵外國汽車製造商與更多本地供應商合作，以及減少進口。
但是美國，歐盟，與加拿大聲稱此種關稅違反世貿組織規定。七月時，總部設於
日內瓦的世貿組織對他們的意見表示同意。
China may yet appeal. In the meantime, the government has found another
way to reduce the flow of expensive automotive imports. On August 13th
the government announced a new “green” tax that will come into effect
on September 1st. The new tax is meant to reduce fuel consumption and
fight pollution. Rather than further raising the tax on fuel, which increased
by almost 20% in June, the government is taxing gas-guzzling cars. By an
amazing coincidence, most such cars are foreign-made.
中國可能還會上訴。於此同時，中國政府找到了另一種方法來減少昂貴汽車的進口。
8月13日時中國政府宣布一種新的「環保稅」將於9月1日開始生效。實施此種新稅
的目的是要減少能源消耗並對抗污染問題。燃料稅於6月時幾乎增加了20％。中國
政府並沒有再增加燃料稅，卻對耗油量高的車徵稅。很湊巧的是，耗油量高的車大
部分都是外國車。
Cars with engine capacities larger than 4.1 litres will now incur a 40%
sales tax—twice the previous level. Cars with engines between 3 and 4.1
litres will be taxed at 25%, up from 15%. The tax on the smallest cars,
with engines smaller than 1 litre, will fall from 3% to 1%. The 8% and 10%
taxes on other cars will not change.
引擎容量超過41公升的車現在會被課40％的銷售稅，稅率比之前高兩倍。引擎容量3
到4.1公升的車則會被課25％的稅，之前的稅率是15％。最小型車，也就是引擎容量
小於1公升的車，稅率則由3％降到1％。其他型車輛的8％和10％稅率則不會改變。
The government says the new tax will encourage a shift to more fuel-efficient
cars. It will also help Chinese carmakers, as they tend to make cars with
engines smaller than 2.5 litres. Foreign carmakers, which make most of the
cars with larger engines, will suffer. Imported large-engine cars achieved
record sales-growth in the first half of 2008, increasing by 26%, to 80,700
units. Imports of cars with 3-litre engines grew by more than 50%, and
imports of sport-utility vehicles were up 79%.
中國政府表示徵新稅會讓大家使用更節省能源的車，另外也會幫助中國汽車製造商，
因為他們生產的車輛引擎容量通常小於2.5公升。因為外國汽車製造商生產的車大部分
引擎容量比較大，他們會因此遭受衝擊。進口大型引擎汽車在2008上半年創紀錄賣出了
80,700輛，銷售成長幅度為26％。引擎容量3公升的進口車成長超過50％，進口休旅車
成長79％。
But there were signs of a slowdown even before the new tax. Although the
Chinese car market bucked the global trend in the first half, higher fuel
costs and tumbling stockmarkets are now putting buyers off. Overall sales
are still expected to rise this year by 8-10%, but this is half the level
predicted at the start of the year, and far less than struggling foreign
carmakers were hoping for.
然而，在新稅開始課徵前，銷售量就有下滑的跡象。雖然中國汽車市場在上半年有搭
上全球銷售順風車，但是高能源支出和不穩定的股市現在卻使汽車買家打退堂鼓。
今年的整體銷售預期仍會成長8-10％，但是僅有年初預計的一半，更與苦撐的外國車
商的期望大相徑庭。
China’s new tax is canny. It cuts fuel use, reduces imports, benefits
local carmakers and may help to improve air quality. It also prevents any
more pesky calls from Geneva.
中國課徵新稅是一種很精明的作法。這樣做不但可以降低燃料使用，減少進口，
使本地汽車商得利，還可能幫助改善空氣品質。也能堵住世貿組織的嘴。
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