The World Trade Organization said that China's restrictions on exports of nine industrial raw materials violate international trade rules.
世界貿易組織(World Trade Organization，簡稱WTO)說，中國限制九種工業原材料出口違反了國際貿易規則。
Tuesday's decision, in response to a complaint brought by the European Union, the U.S. and Mexico, will in theory limit how resource-rich nations can act to reserve raw materials as inputs for their domestic industries. But it could be years before China itself agrees to remove the restrictions.
European Pressphoto Agency在世貿組織框架下，中國現在可就原材料的裁決進行上訴。圖為去年，一名礦工在中國內蒙古地區的一座金礦內。周二這項裁決是WTO應歐盟、美國和墨西哥申訴做出的，從理論上講，它將束縛資源國家為國內工業儲備原材料的手腳。但中國可能要在數年之後才會同意解除這些限制。
The EU, the U.S. and Mexico could impose tariffs on Chinese goods in retaliation if China doesn't end the measures, which include export quotas, tariffs and minimum export prices.
這些限制措施包括實施出口配額制、徵收關稅和設定最低出口價格。如果中國不廢除這些措施，歐盟、美國和墨西哥有可能對中國產品徵收報復性關稅。
The materials in question are bauxite, coke, fluorspar, magnesium, manganese, silicon carbide, silicon metal, yellow phosphorous and zinc.
三國申訴所涉及的九種原材料分別是鋁土、焦碳、螢石、鎂、錳、碳化矽、金屬矽、黃磷和鋅。
Steel and chemical firms are the main consumers, but the materials are also used to make many other products ranging from beverage cans to refrigerators.
鋼鐵和化學廠商是主要消費者，但這些材料同樣也用於製造飲料罐、冰箱等其他很多產品。
"This is a clear verdict for open trade and fair access to raw materials," EU trade commissioner Karel De Gucht said. "It sends a strong signal to refrain from imposing unfair restrictions to trade and takes us one step closer to a level playing field for raw materials."
歐盟貿易專員德古特(Karel De Gucht)說，這是一個支持原材料開放貿易、公平準入的清楚無誤的裁決，它發出強烈信號，要求避免實施不公平的貿易限制，並讓我們朝著原材料公平競爭環境的形成更近了一步。
A statement from U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk said "today's panel report represents a significant victory for manufacturers and workers in the United States and the rest of the world."
美國貿易代表柯克(Ron Kirk)發表聲明說，今天WTO專門委員會的報告是美國和世界其他國家製造商與勞動者取得的重大勝利。
China had invoked environmental concerns arising from the production of these materials as a reason to restrict their exports. WTO rules allow countries to restrict trade to protect the environment.
中國曾以生產這些材料引起的環境問題作為限制出口的理由。WTO規則允許各國為保護環境而限制貿易。
But the panel said export restrictions alone, without measures to limit domestic industries from using the materials, don't effectively protect the environment.
但WTO專門委員會說，僅僅是限制出口，而不採取措施限制國內工業使用這些原材料，實質上並不保護環境。