時事新聞:中國80後市長引發熱議

【英文原文】

A Young Mayor Sparks Debate on China's Twentysomethings

摘要：據中國媒體報導，上週末，29歲的周森鋒成爲中國湖北省宜城市市長，他是湖北省目前最年輕的市長，可能也是全國最年輕的市長。

Last weekend, 28-year-old Zhou Senfeng became mayor of Yicheng in central China's Hubei province, making him the youngest mayor in the province and perhaps in the whole country, Chinese media report (in Chinese here).

Zhou was appointed mayor of Yicheng, a small (by Chinese standards) city of about 200,000, following a vote by local representatives of the National People's Congress. Under China's dual party-government leadership system, each of the country's 660 administratively designated cities have a mayor and Communist Party secretary who govern jointly, though in practice the mayor is usually subordinate to the party chief.

A native of neighboring Henan province, Zhou received a master's degree in management and engineering from Beijing's prestigious Tsinghua University in 2004. Prior to becoming mayor, Zhou held various posts, including vice-director of the municipal construction committee and vice-secretary of the planning bureau in Xiangfan city in Hubei.

China's Communist Party has been taking steps to provide more opportunities for younger officials at all levels (see this Chinese-language report from the People's Daily). Zhang Hui, 29, made headlines last year when he was appointed vice-secretary of the Communist Youth League's Shandong provincial committee.

The appointment of high-ranking local government and party officials from the 'post-80s generation,' as people born between 1980 and 1989 are known, has sparked heated debate online. Some applaud the appointment of young officials as an effort to make the leadership ranks more representative, while others question whether people in their 20s are qualified to handle the responsibilities of high-level positions.

'Age is not a problem here. Obama became President of the U.S. in his 40s,' said one writer on . 'Why does experience count? The crucial point here is whether it's welcomed by the people.'

Others question the administrative abilities of young officials. 'It's a bit strange. Why has [Zhou] been promoted in such a short time? Why is he so special?' asked another writer.

Mayor Zhou acknowledged and responded to the concerns by emphasizing the need to give opportunities to young leaders.

'The concerns about my inexperience are reasonable, I should say,' he told Xinhua by e-mail. 'As a youthful mayor born after 1980, I lagged far behind senior officials in experience… But what young officials need is the stage where they can perform. We will develop better given such a stage.'

Within China, members of Zhou's generation, the first that grew up under the one-child policy, have long been described as spoiled, self-centered and lacking a sense of social responsibility. That has begun to change though. Young volunteers rushed to help victims of last year's devastating earthquake in Sichuan, for instance. The performance of China's new youthful political leaders may soon influence the debate too.

【中文譯文】

據中國媒體報導，上週末，29歲的周森鋒成爲中國湖北省宜城市市長，他是湖北省目前最年輕的市長，可能也是全國最年輕的市長。

周森鋒經宜城市人大選舉後，周森鋒被任命爲宜城市長。按中國的標準，宜城是個小城市，人口大約20萬。按照中國的黨政領導體制，中國660個建制市每個都由市長和市委書記共同治理，雖然實際上市長常常要服從書記的領導。

周森鋒是河南人，2004年獲清華大學管理工程學碩士學位。當上市長前，周森鋒曾任多個不同職位，包括湖北省襄樊市建設委員會副主任以及襄樊市建設與規劃局副局長。

中國共產黨已經採取一系列措施，爲各級年輕幹部提供更多機會。29歲的張輝去年被任命爲中國共青團山東省委副書記，一時成爲媒體爭相報導的對象。

從“80後”中選拔高級別地方黨政官員在網上引發熱議。一些人爲年輕官員獲任命而喝彩，認爲這是令領導階層更具代表性的舉措，還有人則質疑20多歲的年輕人是否有能力擔負起領導職位的各項職責。

網易的一則評論說，年齡不是問題，奧巴馬40多歲就當美國總統了。資歷爲什麼那麼重要？關鍵是老百姓歡不歡迎。

也有人質疑年輕官員的施政能力。另一則評論說，真有點奇怪，周森鋒爲什麼能在這麼短的時間內獲得提拔？他爲何如此特殊？

周森鋒承認這些擔憂有其道理，也作出了迴應，強調有必要給年輕幹部機會。

他在給新華社發的電子郵件中說，應該說，人們擔心我沒經驗也是正常的，作爲80後的年輕市長，我在經驗方面落後於年長的官員……但年輕官員需要的是可以有所作爲的舞臺。在這樣一個舞臺上我們會發展得更好。

在中國，周森鋒這代人是在獨生子女政策下成長起來的第一代，一直以來人們都認爲他們這代人被寵壞了、以自我爲中心、缺乏社會責任感。不過這種情況已經開始發生變化。舉例來說，在去年的四川大地震中，年輕志願者們爭相幫助地震受害者。中國新一代年輕政治領導人的表現可能也會很快對這場爭論產生影響。

【詞彙講解】

1. dual adj. 兩部分的，二體的，二重的

He has dual role as composer and conductor.
他兼作曲家及指揮的雙重身分。

2. subordinate adj. 級別或職位較低的，下級的

A private is subordinate to a corporal.
列兵的級別低於下士。

3. prestigious adj. 受尊敬的，有聲望的，有威信的

Her first novel won a prestigious literary prize.
她的第一部小說就獲得了一個頗具聲望的文學獎。

4. applaud vt. 鼓掌

The audience warmly applauded when the performance came to the end.
當演出接近尾聲時, 觀衆熱烈鼓掌。

5. crucial adj. 決定性的，緊要關頭的

It's a crucial decision.
這是一個極其重要的決定。

6. spoil 溺愛，寵壞

His grandmother spoiled him.
他的祖母把他寵壞了

7. devastating adj. 毀滅性的

It is the most devastating storm in 20 years.
這是20年來破壞性最大的風暴。

【詞組講解】

1. Prior to becoming mayor, Zhou held various posts, including vice-director of the municipal construction committee and vice-secretary of the planning bureau in Xiangfan city in Hubei.
當上市長前，周森鋒曾任多個不同職位，包括湖北省襄樊市建設委員會副主任以及襄樊市建設與規劃局副局長。

prior to 表示“在……之前”

The will was made two days prior to his death.
遺囑是在他死亡前兩天立的。

2. China's Communist Party has been taking steps to provide more opportunities for younger officials at all levels.
中國共產黨已經採取一系列措施，爲各級年輕幹部提供更多機會。

take steps 表示“採取措施”

They took steps to prevent the spread of influenza.
他們採取措施阻止流感的傳播。

3. I lagged far behind senior officials in experience
我在經驗方面落後於年長的官員

lag behind 在本句中表示“落後於…… ”，例如：

Britain's economic development must lag behind that of almost every other industrial nation.
英國的經濟發展肯定落後於幾乎所有的其他的工業國。

lag behind還表示“逾期付款；落後”的意思，例如：

If your payments of rent lag behind, you will be asked to leave.
如果你不如期交房租, 你就會被趕走。

The lame child lagged behind.
那個跛腳的小孩落在後面了。