[영자신문읽기][경제공부] 홍콩에게 중국은 새로운 나치인가?

안녕하세요. 고라소니의 영어로 경제보기 코너입니다.

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오늘은 08/20/2019자 CNBC 기사를 살펴볼텐데요.

괜찮은 영어 표현들은 밑줄을 쳐놨고,

특이한 영어 표현은 파란 배경색과 기울임꼴을 적용하였습니다.

또한 어려운 영어 단어들은 노란 배경색을 부여하고 해석을 달아놨습니다.

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Carrie Lam says Hong Kong economy faces ‘risk of downturn’ amid protests

 

 

 

• Hong Kong’s Chief Executive Carrie Lam said she was willing to talk to peaceful protesters to narrow current differences.

• She also reiterated the risks of the impact that months of protests will have on Hong Kong, saying that data from the first half of the year has yet to fully reflect the seriousness of the territory’s economic situation. Last week, Hong Kong’s government announced that it was lowering its 2019 GDP growth forecast to between 0% and 1%, from the original range of 2% to 3%.

Protesters walk along a street during a rally in Hong Kong on August 18, 2019, in the latest opposition to a planned extradition law that has since morphed into a wider call for democratic rights.

Manan Vatsayayana | AFP | Getty Images

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Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam on Tuesday painted a bleak picture of the city’s economy amid weeks of protests, but expressed hope that dialogue with peaceful demonstrators could provide “a way out” for the Asian financial hub.

Lam, the territory’s Beijing-backed chief executive, said she was willing to talk to peaceful protesters to narrow current differences.

“We will immediately start the work to establish a platform for dialogue,” she said Tuesday, during her weekly press conference on the ongoing protests. “This dialogue, I hope, will be based on mutual understanding and respect and find a way out for today’s Hong Kong.”

Hong Kong, a former British colony that was returned to China in 1997, has been plagued by weeks of unrest as hundreds of thousands took to the streets in protest against a now-suspended extradition bill which would have allowed suspects in Hong Kong to be sent to mainland China for trial.

The frequently violent rallies have since spilled over into issues of democracy amid rising concerns that civil rights and freedoms under Beijing were being eroded.

Lam reiterated on Tuesday that the extradition bill was “dead,” and there were no plans to revive it.

Impact on Hong Kong economy

On Tuesday, Lam also emphasized that Hong Kong’s economy will be impacted from the months-long protests and said the situation may be worse than what numbers have shown so far.

“The Hong Kong economy is facing the risk of downturn,” Lam said. “We can see this from the data in the first half. Actually, I think the data in the first half has not fully reflected the seriousness of the problem.”

Hong Kong’s government last week lowered its 2019 GDP growth forecast to between 0% and 1%, from the original range of 2% to 3%.

Various sectors have reportedly been affected, and markets are said to be hit hard as demonstrations turn increasingly violent. Most notably, the airline, retail, and real estate sectors have seen their sales decline. Hong Kong’s International Airport, one of the world’s busiest, cancelled flights earlier this month and cited disruptions by anti-government protesters. The city’s public transit system has also been disrupted on multiple occasions.

Lam also said that Shenzhen’s development will be good for the city, especially in terms of technology innovation, while stressing that Hong Kong still has unique advantages in attracting international companies.

Her comments come as China’s state council called for greater development of Shenzhen, a Chinese city which borders Hong Kong and is turning into a major hub for China’s manufacturing and technology sectors.

— Reuters and CNBC’s Grace Shao contributed to this report.

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■ 고라소니와 영어 표현 익히기

○ Bleak: 암울한, 우울한, 절망적인

○ Unrest: 불안, 불만

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