春運 Spring Festival travel rush

1月10日，2020年春運（the Spring Festival travel rush）正式開啟。今年春運，預計全國旅客發(fā)送量將達到約30億人次。

From Jan 10 to Feb 18, the total number of trips is likely to hit 3 billion, slightly up from the travel rush last year, with an 8-percent growth in train trips, 8.4-percent increase in air trips and 9.6-percent hike in waterway trips, according to a forecast from the National Development and Reform Commission.
國家發(fā)改委表示，今年春運從1月10日持續(xù)至2月18日，預計全國旅客發(fā)送量將達到約30億人次，鐵路旅客同比增長8%，民航增長8.4%，水路旅客增長9.6%。

Due to the continued expansion in high-speed railway operational length, the number of road trips is expected to decline to 2.43 billion.
由于高鐵運營里程不斷增加，今年的陸路旅客量預計將下降至24.3億人次。

今年的春運，我們迎來了電子客票、反向春運優(yōu)惠等一系列新變化，一起來看一看吧！

高鐵實行電子客票

電子客票的運用是今年春運的一大亮點，更多旅客將不再需要換取紙質(zhì)車票，直接通過刷手機或身份證進站乘車。

All high-speed railway stations will allow passengers to use electronic tickets. According to China State Railway Co, as of Thursday, passengers can check in without paper tickets at 1,020 railway stations across the country.
所有高鐵車站均允許旅客使用電子客票。國鐵集團表示，截至1月10日，全國共有1020個火車站實現(xiàn)電子客票檢票進站。

反向春運有優(yōu)惠

近幾年，“反向春運（reverse Spring Festival travel）”的熱度持續(xù)提升，更多的年輕人將老家的父母接來自己工作的城市過年。

Rail authorities are offering discount tickets to encourage more passengers to travel against the flow during the travel rush, easing transportation pressure.
鐵路部門提供折扣票價，鼓勵旅客在春節(jié)期間“反向”出行，緩解交通壓力。

北京大興國際機場迎首個春運

2019年9月正式投運的大興國際機場也即將迎來首個春運的考驗。

The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) said on Thursday that the airport, which started operation in late September last year, will see 1.9 million travelers during the 40-day festival rush, and the daily number of flights could hit 312, up 15 percent from normal.
民航總局1月10日表示，去年9月正式投運的大興國際機場在為期40天的春運期間將迎來旅客190萬人次，每日航班數(shù)將達到312個，比平日增加15%。

省界收費站全部取消

從2020年1月1日零時起，全國29個聯(lián)網(wǎng)省份的487個省界收費站（toll stations at provincial boundaries of national expressways）全部取消。

Use of electronic toll-collection devices will improve traffic efficiency at toll gates.
電子收費設備的使用將提升收費站的通行效率。

兒童乘車優(yōu)惠可看年齡

2020年1月1日起施行的《關于深化道路運輸價格改革的意見》中明確，符合條件的兒童乘坐客運班車享受免費乘車或者客票半價優(yōu)待。在兒童身高標準基礎上，增加以年齡為依據(jù)的兒童票、免票劃分標準。

具體條件為：每一成人旅客可攜帶1名6周歲(含6周歲)以下或者身高1.2米(含1.2米)以下、且不單獨占用座位的兒童免費乘車（children who are under 6 years old and don't need separate seats can take public transport for free），需單獨占用座位或者超過1名時超過的人數(shù)執(zhí)行客票半價優(yōu)待，并提供座位；6～14周歲或者身高為1.2～1.5米的兒童乘車執(zhí)行客票半價優(yōu)待（eligible for half-price policy），并提供座位。

國家最高科學技術獎 the State Preeminent Science and Technology Award

President Xi Jinping presented the State Preeminent Science and Technology Award, China’s top scientific honor, to nuclear submarine designer Huang Xuhua and atmospheric physicist Zeng Qingcun at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Friday.
1月10日，國家主席習近平在人民大會堂向核潛艇設計師黃旭華和大氣物理學家曾慶存頒發(fā)國家最高科學技術獎。

【重要講話】
我國廣大科技工作者要把握大勢、搶占先機，直面問題、迎難而上，瞄準世界科技前沿，引領科技發(fā)展方向，肩負起歷史賦予的重任，勇做新時代科技創(chuàng)新的排頭兵，努力建設世界科技強國。
Science and technology personnel should grasp the main trends, seize opportunities, face problems squarely, and rise to challenges. They should aim for the frontiers of science and technology, lead the direction of its development, shoulder the heavy responsibilities bestowed by history, and be vanguards in innovation in the new era, in order to build China into a powerhouse of science and technology.
——2018年5月28日，習近平出席中國科學院第十九次院士大會、中國工程院第十四次院士大會并發(fā)表重要講話

家用電器安全使用年限 standard life spans for home appliances

China unveiled its first set of standard life spans for home appliances on Friday to fend off safety risks and promote energy consciousness.
1月10日，我國發(fā)布了首套家用電器安全使用年限，以消除安全隱患，提高人們的節(jié)能意識。

《家用電器安全使用年限》系列標準從安全使用年限要求（standard life span）、正常使用條件（standard operating conditions）和消費提醒信息（alert notification）三方面進行規(guī)范。

家用電冰箱（refrigerators）&葡萄酒柜（wine cabinets）、房間空調(diào)器（air conditioners）的安全使用年限為10年，家用洗衣機（washing machines）&干衣機（dryers）、吸油煙機（range hoods）、家用燃氣灶（gas cookers）的安全使用年限為8年。

The standard life span of air conditioners starts from date of production, and that of other home appliances from date of sale.
空調(diào)安全使用年限從生產(chǎn)日期計起，其余從銷售日期計起。

為什么要設定安全使用年限？

家電“超期服役”時，不僅能耗顯著提升，而且存在較大安全隱患。

The use of electrical home appliances past life expectancy will increase energy consumption and safety risks.
使用超過安全使用年限的家電會增加能耗以及安全風險。

An expected 160 million units of electrical home appliances will expire in 2020.
據(jù)估算，僅2020年就將有1.6億臺家電到期。

國家發(fā)展改革委產(chǎn)業(yè)司巡視員王東說，

The move will help raise consumers' awareness for safety and energy conservation, and put more new models on the market as well.
此舉不但能幫助提升消費者的安全意識和節(jié)能意識，同時還有利于家電新產(chǎn)品進入市場。

匯率操縱國 currency manipulator

1月13日，美國財政部公布半年度匯率政策報告，取消對中國“匯率操縱國”的認定。

In its semiannual Report on Macroeconomic and Foreign Exchange Policies of Major Trading Partners of the United States, the Treasury Department said no major US trading partner at this time met the relevant legislative criteria for currency manipulation.
美國財政部發(fā)布的《主要貿(mào)易伙伴的宏觀經(jīng)濟和外匯政策》半年報告指出，目前，美國主要的貿(mào)易伙伴中，無一符合匯率操縱國法定標準。

【知識點】

根據(jù)美國對“匯率操縱國（currency manipulator）”最新的認定標準，當一國在過去四個季度滿足以下三個標準時會被認定為“匯率操縱國”：1.對美國貿(mào)易順差超過200億美元（a bilateral trade surplus of $20 billion or more with the US）；2.經(jīng)常賬戶順差占GDP比重超過2%（a current account surplus of 2 percent or more of its gross domestic product）；3.單邊匯率干預持續(xù)時長超過6個月（one-sided intervention in foreign exchange markets for more than 6 months）。

如果一個經(jīng)濟體滿足三個標準，則被認定為“匯率操縱國”；如果只滿足兩個標準，會被列入觀察名單（monitoring list）；如果只滿足第一個標準，但該經(jīng)濟體對美國的總體貿(mào)易逆差貢獻較大，也可能被列入觀察名單。

美國財政部去年8月宣布將中國列為“匯率操縱國”，遭到中方、經(jīng)濟學界和權威國際機構的普遍反對。

Mark Sobel, US chairman of the Official Monetary and Financial Institutions Forum, an independent think tank, said on Twitter that this is "good news," calling the designation "blatant" and "errant" political act. "China shouldn't have been designated to start with," said Sobel, who was served as deputy assistant secretary at the US Treasury Department. He noted China's current account surplus is small as a share of GDP, and there is "scant intervention."
前美國財政部官員、官方貨幣與金融機構論壇主席馬克·索貝爾在推特上表示，美國財政部此舉是“好消息”，中國從一開始就不應被認定為“匯率操縱國”，中國經(jīng)常賬戶順差占國內(nèi)生產(chǎn)總值比重較小，幾乎不構成干涉，美國政府此前的認定是“錯誤的政治行為”。

強基計劃 plan for strengthening basic academic disciplines

China has moved to step up the cultivation of innovative talent in certain basic academic disciplines such as mathematics and physics by launching a pilot enrollment scheme at more than 30 select universities, including Peking and Tsinghua, according to a guideline unveiled by the Ministry of Education Wednesday.
為了加強數(shù)學、物理等基礎學科創(chuàng)新人才的培養(yǎng)，教育部1月15日發(fā)出通知，將在包括北京大學、清華大學在內(nèi)的30多所選定高校開展招生試點。

【知識點】

根據(jù)教育部《關于在部分高校開展基礎學科招生改革試點工作的意見》（也稱“強基計劃”plan for strengthening basic academic disciplines），這一計劃主要選拔有志于服務國家重大戰(zhàn)略需求且綜合素質(zhì)優(yōu)秀或基礎學科拔尖的學生（students who are interested in serving the country's major strategic needs and at the same time have excellent comprehensive qualities or excel in basic discipline studies）。由有關高校結合自身辦學特色，重點在數(shù)學（mathematics）、物理（physics）、化學（chemistry）、生物（biology）及歷史（history）、哲學（philosophy）、古文字學（study of ancient characters）等相關專業(yè)招生。

教育部將遴選部分高校開展這一試點。起步階段，遴選部分“一流大學”建設高校開展試點。

招生辦法

在招生選拔模式上，將探索建立基于統(tǒng)一高考的多維度考核評價學生的招生模式。

Students will be able to sign up for the plan in April. After they take the national college entrance exam (or gaokao) in early June, the 36 universities will release the list of students qualifying for the plan based on their gaokao scores. The ministry said they should then give those students written and physical tests and interviews before releasing final enrollment lists by July 5.
學生可在4月份報名“強基計劃”；6月初高考結束后，參與該計劃的36所高校將根據(jù)高考成績確定入圍學生名單；之后，高校組織對入圍學生進行筆試、口試及體檢等考核，并在7月5日前公布錄取名單。

培養(yǎng)模式

高校對通過“強基計劃”錄取的學生單獨制定培養(yǎng)方案。

Students admitted through the plan will be put in small, independent classes, with the best teaching resources and learning environment. Top performers will be given preferential treatment in pursuing postgraduate studies, government sponsored overseas study and scholarships, it said.
通過“強基計劃”錄取的學生進行獨立小班教學，配備優(yōu)質(zhì)教學資源及學習環(huán)境。對學業(yè)優(yōu)秀的學生，高校可在免試推薦研究生、公派留學、獎學金等方面予以優(yōu)先安排。

Students under the plan are not supposed to transfer to majors in other academic disciplines.
通過“強基計劃”錄取的學生入校后原則上不得轉(zhuǎn)到相關學科之外的專業(yè)就讀。

2020年起，不再組織開展高校自主招生（independent enrollment）工作。

中美第一階段經(jīng)貿(mào)協(xié)議 China-US phase-one economic and trade agreement

當?shù)貢r間1月15日，美國總統(tǒng)特朗普在白宮橢圓形辦公室會見中共中央政治局委員、國務院副總理、中美全面經(jīng)濟對話中方牽頭人劉鶴，雙方共同出席中美第一階段經(jīng)貿(mào)協(xié)議簽署儀式。

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Liu first conveyed a message of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Trump.
劉鶴首先轉(zhuǎn)達習近平主席致特朗普總統(tǒng)的口信。

The conclusion of the phase-one economic and trade agreement is good for China, for the United States and for the whole world, Xi said in the message read out by the vice premier.
習近平在口信中指出，中美達成第一階段經(jīng)貿(mào)協(xié)議，有利于中美兩國，有利于世界。

"It also shows that our two countries have the ability to act on the basis of equality and mutual respect, and work through dialogue and consultation to properly handle and effectively resolve relevant issues," read the message.
這也說明，中美雙方完全可以在平等和相互尊重的基礎上，通過對話磋商找到有關問題的妥善處理和有效解決辦法。

In the next step, the two sides need to implement the agreement in real earnest and optimize its positive impact, so as to make even greater progress in China-U.S. trade and economic cooperation, the Chinese president said.
下一步，雙方要把協(xié)議落到實處，發(fā)揮積極效應，推動中美經(jīng)貿(mào)合作取得更大進展。

To maintain healthy and steady growth of China-U.S. relations serves the interest of both countries and requires joint efforts from both sides, Xi said.
保持中美關系健康穩(wěn)定發(fā)展，符合雙方利益，需要雙方共同作出努力。

In that spirit, Xi voiced hope that the U.S. side will treat fairly Chinese companies and their regular economic, trade and investment activities, and give support to the collaboration between enterprises, research institutes, and schools and colleges of the two countries, as it will help enhance mutual trust and cooperation between the two sides.
本著這一精神，希望美方公平對待中國企業(yè)正常經(jīng)貿(mào)和投資活動，支持兩國企業(yè)、科研機構、學校開展合作，促進中美互信與合作。

"China is prepared to work with the United States in that direction. And I will stay in close touch with you personally," Xi said. "I believe that under our guidance, China-U.S. relations will deliver more results and bring greater benefits to our peoples in the year ahead."
中方愿與美方相向而行。我愿與你保持密切聯(lián)系，相信在我們共同引領下，中美關系在新的一年能夠給兩國人民帶來更多利益和實惠。