最近有一份来自美国的研究报告指出,除石油以外,中国的食品和工业品消费已经超过美国,成了世界第一大消费国。当不久前国内外还在用“将来时”讨论中国成为世界制造中心的可能性时,这份研究报告显然已经用“现在完成时”确认中国成了一个消费大国。几乎没有人会怀疑美国是一个名副其实的消费大国,也很少有人怀疑美国经济从其居民的强劲消费能力中获得了巨大的利益,但是,美国现在不得不为其过高的消费付出代价,以至于布什政府决心改变美国一直以来鼓励消费的政策,转而开始推行鼓励储蓄的政策。美国的转型将是长期而痛苦的。在同时面对美国着手转型 A recent study from the United States pointed out: Except for oil, China’s consumption of food and industrial products has surpassed that of the United States and has become the world’s largest consumer. When not long ago both at home and abroad were still discussing the possibility of China becoming a world manufacturing center, the study apparently used “to be done now” to confirm that China has become a consumer power. Few would suspect that the United States is a veritable consumer power and that few suspect that the U.S. economy has benefited hugely from the strong spending power of its inhabitants. However, the United States now has to pay the price for its excessive consumption, As for the Bush administration’s determination to change the policy that the United States has always encouraged consumption, it has started to implement a policy of encouraging savings. The transformation of the United States will be long-term and painful. At the same time facing the United States to start restructuring