新浪财经讯 北京时间3月24日上午消息，英文《中国日报》周三报道称，美国前贸易代表苏珊-施瓦布(Susan Schwab)周二表示，美国财政部很有可能在4月中旬的报告中将中国列为汇率操纵国，不过该举措将基本上是“象征性的而非实体性的”，目的是赢得今年秋季的中期国会选举。

　　施瓦布说：“中国被列为汇率操纵国的可能性非常高，但需要记住的是，这一决定主要是象征性的，不会导致除磋商以外的任何强制性举措。”

　　如果情况是这样，那么这将是16年来首次。将中国列为汇率操纵国后，美国可以对中国进口产品征收额外关税。

　　一些中国专家强烈怀疑美国会将中国列为汇率操纵国，因为这会激怒中国政府并且会危害中美贸易关系。其他人认为，即使中国被列为汇率操纵国，美国政府随后也不会采取惩罚性措施。

　　美国一些民主党和共和党众议员已经敦促奥巴马政府将中国列为汇率操纵国。美国参议院的两党议员也希望美国政府迫使中国对人民币重新估值。

　　施瓦布说，“越来越多的”民主党正在加强推进贸易保护主义举措，这令人遗憾。她还表示：“对于美国政府来说，这是一个非常难以作出的决定。美国政府现在正在因高失业率和秋季的中期选举而面临很大压力。”

　　中国商务部副部长24日至26日率团访问美国，寻求与美国磋商贸易问题。不过很多人对此不抱有很大希望。中国商务部国际贸易经济合作研究院院长霍建国表示：“没有什么空间和时间来说服美国中国不是汇率操纵国”，“为了赢得选票，奥巴马可能同意将中国列为汇率操纵国”。

　　自从全球金融危机爆发以来，美国失业率维持在10%左右，而且未来数月还将维持在这一水平。奥巴马近期承诺将创造更多就业，以及在5年内让出口翻番。

　　霍建国说，随着中期选举的临近，奥巴马政府可能“将中国作为替罪羊，将他们自己的问题归咎于中国”。

　　施瓦布表示，中美两国应该努力找出问题的解决方式，“可以说，中美关系是全球最重要的双边关系，如果实行贸易保护主义，美国很可能搬起石头砸自己的脚。”

　　霍建国对此表示同意，他说：“美国必须将中国的反应纳入考虑范围”。(明霞 发自北京)

　　以下是《中国日报》(China Daily)英文全文。

　　US likely to label China 'currency manipulator'

　　By Ding Qingfen (China Daily)

　　Updated: 2010-03-24 07:08

　　BEIJING - The US Treasury Department is highly likely to label China a currency manipulator in a report due out in mid-April, but the move will be "more symbolic than substantive" to win mid-term Congressional elections in the fall, former US trade representative Susan Schwab told China Daily on Tuesday。

　　Susan Schwab is a former US trade representative "There is a high possibility, definitely (that China will be labeled as a manipulator)， but it is very important to remember the decision is largely symbolic and does not force any actions, other than consultations," she said。

　　If that were the case, it will be the first time in 16 years. By declaring China a currency manipulator, the US could slap additional tariffs on imports from the country。

　　Some Chinese experts strongly doubt the US will do so as it will provoke Beijing and jeopardize its most important trade relationship, while others believe that even if China were declared a currency manipulator, Washington will not follow up with punitive measures。

　　Some Democrats and Republicans in the House have urged the Barack Obama administration to label China a currency manipulator. Lawmakers from both parties in the Senate also demand Washington force Beijing to revalue the yuan。

　　Schwab said "a significant growing number" of Democrats are increasingly pushing protectionist solutions, which she said was unfortunate。

　　"This is a very difficult decision (for the US government) to make. It is under a lot of pressure on the high unemployment rate and the coming election this fall."

　　Last week, China sent a team led by the vice-minister of commerce to the US, seeking consultations and negotiations on trade-related issues。

　　But many do not pin much hope on such efforts. "There is little room and time to convince the US that China is not a currency manipulator," said Huo Jianguo, dean of the Trade Research Institute affiliated to the Ministry of Commerce。

　　"Obama would probably give the nod to the move if only to win over voters," he said。

　　The US' unemployment rate has been around 10 percent since the onset of the global financial crisis and is expected to stay at the same level in coming months. Obama vowed recently to create more jobs and double exports in five years。

　　As the mid-term election campaign looms, the Obama administration could "easily make China a scapegoat by blaming the country for their own problems," Huo said。

　　Schwab said the two countries should try to find a solution to the problems。

　　"The China-US relationship is arguably the most important bilateral one worldwide and it (the US) is in danger of shooting itself in the foot (by using protectionism)."

　　Huo agreed. "The US will have to take China's response into account," he said。

　　Minister of Commerce Chen Deming said on Sunday that China "would respond if this (the labeling threat) means litigation" under the framework of the World Trade Organization。

　　China's trade surplus, more than 70 percent of which is with the US, has been declining since October. Premier Wen Jiabao has said China will probably record a deficit of $8 billion in March。

　　China will make all efforts to import more from the US to balance trade, Wen said on Monday。

　　"The remarks may make the US reconsider its tough stance against China on the currency issue," said Huo。

　　It usually takes at least nine months for the WTO to draft a penalty report if the US filed appeal against China on the currency issue, and there have been few precedents。

　　Zhou Shijian, senior professor at the China-US Relations Research Center affiliated to Tsinghua University, also believes China will not be declared a currency manipulator。

　　"The US dare not challenge China by labeling it a manipulator. It will hurt both. It is also stupid of them to do so as China is a large consumer market," he said。

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