Chinese economy continues its pandemic bounce back

Key economic data in China surged dramatically in the first two months of 2021, pointing to a continued recovery for the world's second largest economy.

China's industrial output grew 35.1% in January and February compared to the same months last year.

The strong numbers are distorted because they are compared to 2020, when most of China's factories were in pandemic lockdown.

TIPS:

① surge n.剧增；(风、水等) 突然的涌动 v.剧增；(水、电流等) 涌

Ø The Freedom Party's electoral support surged from just under 10 percent to nearly 17 percent. 自由党的选举支持率从只有不到10%剧增到近17%。

• surge这个词在疫情期间也比较常见，比如说“Coronavirus Numbers Surged Dramatically in 1 Week 新冠病毒感染人数在一周内飙升”
• surge from ... to ... 从……剧增至……

② distort adj.扭曲的；受到曲解的；v.扭曲，失真；歪曲，曲解（distort的过去式和过去分词）

Ø The media distorts reality; it categorizes people as all good or all bad. 媒体歪曲事实，将人分为十足的好人和坏蛋。

• distort reality 歪曲事实

参考译文：

2021年的头两个月，中国的关键经济数据大幅飙升，意味着这个世界第二大经济体正持续复苏。

同比去年1、2月，中国的工业产出增长35.1%。

这个可观的数字有些失真，因为这是在与2020年相比，那会儿中国的大部分工厂都处于疫情封锁状态。

But Monday's slew of economic data still beat analysts' expectations.

Looking back to 2019 before the pandemic hit may give a more accurate picture of what is happening to economic activity in China.

Industrial output was up 16.9% compared with the first two months of 2019, highlighting the stronger output.

TIPS:

① beat sb’s expectation 超出某人预期

② slay v.屠杀；谋杀（过去式：slew）

• slew of 许多; 大量

Ø There have been a whole slew of shooting incidents. 已经发生过大量枪击案。

参考译文：

但是，周一公布的系列经济数据仍然超出分析师的预期。

回顾疫情爆发之前的2019年，能够更加准确的了解中国经济活动的现状。

与2019年的头两个月相比，2021年工业产出增长16.9%，产出强劲。

A rebound in foreign demand has helped push export growth higher for China, often called the world's factory.

The Chinese government has set a modest annual economic growth target for 2021, at above 6%, even though analysts are tipping growth of around 8%.

China was the only major economy last year to report positive growth, with an expansion of 2.3%.

参考译文：

中国常被称为世界工厂，近期来自国外的需求反弹也助增了中国的出口业务。

分析师认为中国2021年年度经济增长目标值将达到8%左右，但是中国政府设立目标值较为温和，即6%以上。

中国是去年唯一报道本国经济正向增长的主要经济体，有2.3%的增长。

A spokeswoman for China's statistics bureau Liu Aihua told reporters the economy should continue its recovery.

However, she said there are still imbalances in the economic recovery and that China needs to step up support for consumption.

Retail sales, another key economic indicator, climbed 33.8% in the period, although the jobless rate was 5.5% at the end of February, up from 5.2% in December.

TIPS:

① retail sales 零售额

② jobless rate 失业率

参考译文：

中国国家统计局发言人刘爱华告诉记者，经济将持续复苏。

不过，她说在经济复苏中依然存在不平衡现象，因此中国将继续加大对消费的支持。

2月底失业率为5.5%，高于十二月的5.2%，但与此同时，另一关键经济指标——零售额攀升至33.8%。

Economists have pointed to a two-speed track for China, with strong industrial output and export demand but a lagging consumer recovery.

The government imposed travel restrictions before the Chinese New Year holidays, which fell in February this year. This suppressed spending on travel, restaurants and leisure activities.

However, retail sales data showed the top growth items were jewellery (up 99%) and cars (up 78%).

"These items tell us that Chinese consumers spent lavishly during the Chinese New Year holiday," said Iris Pang, Chief Economist for Greater China, at ING bank.

TIPS:

① lagging n. 隔热材料，保温套；adj. 落后的，发展滞后的；v. 缓慢移动，发展滞后，落后；给……加保温层

② impose vi. 利用；欺骗；施加影响；vt. 强加；征税；以…欺骗

③ leisure n. 闲暇；空闲；安逸；adj. 空闲的；有闲的；业余的

④ lavishly adv.丰富地；浪费地

参考译文：

经济学家指出，中国是双速经济并行，工业产量和出口强劲，但是消费复苏滞后。

今年春节，即2月前，政府实行了旅行限制，此举抑制了旅游、餐饮以及休闲活动方面的消费。

不过，零售额数据显示，增长最快的商品是珠宝（增长99%）和汽车（增长78%）

荷兰国际集团（ING bank）大中华区首席经济学家彭虹（Iris Pang）说，“这两项数据告诉我们，中国消费者在春节假期消费高额商品”。