昨天，美国总统特朗普通过白宫发表声明，中美贸易战升级。从9月24日起，美国将对约2000亿美元的中国产品征收10%的关税。从2019年1月1日起，税率进一步提升至25%。更为严苛的是，如果中国采取任何反击举措，美国将会对立刻对额外的价值约2670亿美元的中国进口产品征收关税。毋庸置疑，这项举措是对中国经济的巨大考验。
原文链接：https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/statement-from-the-president-4/?from=timeline&isappinstalled=0
声明全文
Today, following seven weeks of
public notice
, hearings, and extensive opportunities for comment, I directed the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to proceed with placing additional tariffs on roughly $200 billion of imports from China. The tariffs will take effect on September 24, 2018, and be set at a level of 10 percent until the end of the year. On January 1, the tariffs will rise to 25 percent. Further, if China takes retaliatory action against our farmers or other industries, we will immediately pursue phase three, which is tariffs on approximately $267 billion of additional imports.
今天，经过了7周的公示、听证会和广泛的意见听取，我指示美国贸易代表办公室采取进一步措施，对大约价值2000亿美元的中国进口商品征收额外关税。
这项举措将于2018年的9月24日生效，截止年底，税率为10%。从2019年1月1日起，提高到25%。此外，如果中国政府对我国农民或其它行业采取报复性措施，我们将立即实施第三期计划，即对另外大约2670亿美元的进口商品征收关税。
We are taking this action today as a result of the Section 301 process that the USTR has been leading for more than 12 months. After a thorough study, the USTR concluded that China is engaged in numerous unfair policies and practices relating to United States technology and intellectual property – such as forcing United States companies to transfer technology to Chinese counterparts. These practices plainly constitute a grave threat to the long-term health and prosperity of the United States economy.
这个决定是美国贸易代表办公室已经开启的超过12个月的301调查的结果。
经过全面和深入的研究，美国贸易代表办公室得出结论，认为针对美国科技和知识产权方面，中国采取了相当多不公平的政策和做法，譬如强迫美国公司技术转让。这些做法对美国经济的长期健康和繁荣构成了严重的威胁。
For months, we have urged China to change these unfair practices, and give fair and
reciprocal treatment
to American companies. We have been very clear about the type of changes that need to be made, and we have given China every opportunity to treat us more fairly. But, so far, China has been unwilling to change its practices. To counter China’s unfair practices, on June 15, I announced that the United States would impose tariffs of 25 percent on $50 billion worth of Chinese imports. China, however, still refuses to change its practices – and indeed recently imposed new tariffs
in an effort to
hurt the United States economy.
几个月来，我们不断敦促中国政府改变这些不公平做法，给予美国企业公平和互惠的待遇。
我们已经非常清楚需要改变的类型，我们给了中国一切机会更加公平地对待我们。但是到目前为止，中国一直不愿意改变其做法。为了反击这些不公平做法，我在6月15日宣布，美国将对价值500亿美元的中国商品征收25%的关税。然后，中国依然拒绝改变其做法——实际上，中国最近对美国商品征收了新的关税，这是为了损害美国经济。
As President, it is my duty to protect the interests of working men and women, farmers, ranchers, businesses, and our country itself. My Administration will not remain idle when those interests are under attack.
作为总统，保护工人、农民、农场主、商业和国家的利益是我的责任。当这些利益受到侵害时，我的政府就不能无所作为。
China has had many opportunities to fully address our concerns. Once again, I urge China’s leaders to take swift action to end their country’s unfair trade practices. Hopefully, this trade situation will be resolved, in the end, by myself and President Xi of China, for whom I have great respect and affection.
中国有许多机会来妥善解决我们的关切之事。我再次敦促中国领导人即刻采取措施停止这些不公平的贸易行为。我希望这一贸易形势最终能由我和中国领导人顺利解决，我对他充满尊重和爱戴。
第一段解析
Today, following seven weeks of
public notice
, hearings, and extensive opportunities for comment, I directed the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to proceed with
placing additional tariffs on roughly $200 billion of imports from China
.
notice 中国学生大多知道notice的动词意义：
注意
。很少有人知道它的名词意义。在这里，notice的意思为「通知」，public notice 就是「公开通知」，有点像我们说的公示。
这个词在职场也挺常见，譬如辞职的时候，从离职被批准到正式离职有1到3个月的离职期用来交接手续什么的，这个离职期就叫做 notice period。
United States Trade Representative, USTR
美国贸易代表办公室
proceed with sth 是继续XXX事情。这句话明明也可以说 I directed the United States Trade Representative to place additional tariffs …… 但为什么要硬生生加进去一个proceed with？
实际上，这个词暗含了此前美政府就已经在筹划对中国产品施加关税，这个声明只是事态下的进一步（proceed with）举措。在翻译的时候要体现出这个意思。
place A on B 把A放在B上
这里 place 为动词。注意，这里用了介词 on，我在
为啥英语里的介词辣么难学？
里讲过，作为2D介词的on引申出来常常带有「压力」的意味，隐含了A给B施加了一些压力。因此，place tariffs on imports 是非常准确的。
The tariffs will take effect on September 24, 2018, and be set at a level of 10 percent until the end of the year. On January 1, the tariffs will rise to 25 percent. Further, if China
takes retaliatory action
against our farmers or other industries, we will
immediately pursue phase three
, which is tariffs on approximately $267 billion of additional imports.
take effect
生效
take action 采取行动
take retaliatory action 采取报复行动
take swift action 立即采取行动 （下文会出现）
immediately pursue phase three
phase 是指「期」，比如买房的时候一个盘有第几期，就是phase。phase three就是美国针对此次贸易战所做计划的第三期。immediately pursue 体现了美国政府此次的强硬立场，即一旦中国采取报复性行动，将没有任何讨论的余地。
, which is tariffs on approximately $267 billion of additional imports.
注意which前面的逗号，意味着这是一个非限定性定语从句。which是对先行词 phase three的解释说明。
第二段解析
We are taking this action today as a result of the Section 301 process that the USTR has been leading for more than 12 months.
Section 301 Investigation 301调查
301是指美国贸易法的第301条。美国贸易代表办公室（USTR）可以基于此条款，对美国的贸易伙伴国家进行调查，简称为「301调查」。2018年3月23日，美国启动针对中国的「301调查」，依据此结果，美国将对中国进口商品进行关税征收。
After a thorough study, the USTR concluded that China is
engaged in numerous unfair policies and practices relating to United States technology and intellectual property
– such as forcing United States companies to transfer technology to Chinese counterparts. These practices plainly constitute
a grave threat
to the long-term health and prosperity of the United States economy.
Intellectual Property 知识产权
这个词经常被简写为 IP。针对各种网络小说等的「IP热」就是这两个词。
第三段解析
For months, we have urged China to change these unfair practices, and give fair and
reciprocal treatment
to American companies.
