From Chinese bloggers to European central bankers, the world watched the US government shutdown with a mixture of bewilderment and growing nervousness that any debt default could hit struggling economies.
In emerging superpower China, a one-party state where legislative deadlock holds little fear for the Communist rulers, the official Xinhua news agency said the situation had once again brought to the fore “the ugly side of partisan politics in Washington.”
“Though its immediate impact looks limited, the damage will multiply if the drama drags on for days or even weeks, arousing concerns over its spillover effect,” it said in a commentary, referring to the US economy.
Photo: AFP
照片:法新社
While US visa and passport operations were unaffected, the crisis in Washington forced hundreds of thousands of federal workers to stay at home, closed museums and national parks and put much scientific research on hold.
One US researcher who travelled 30 hours to Perth in Australia for a science conference found himself barred from presenting his work on Parkinson’s disease. “It’s actually a federal offense if I do go ahead and give the talk or even continue attending the conference,” Michael Lazarou told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
“I had prepared for such a long time to come here and give this talk — all that effort and it goes to waste now.”
(Liberty Times)
從中國部落客到歐洲各國央行總裁,全球正以結合了困惑與日益俱增的緊張心情,密切注意美國政府關門事件發展,擔心美國債務違約可能重創經濟陷入困境的其他國家。
在新興超級強權中國,共黨統治者所掌控的一黨專制政府根本無需擔心立法程序面臨僵局,官方新華社報導說,這個情況再度凸顯出「華府黨派政治的醜陋面。」
「儘管其立即性的影響似乎有限,假如這齣戲碼拖延數日或數週,引發外界擔憂其連帶效應,傷害就將擴大數倍,」新華社在一篇提及美國經濟的評論中表示。
儘管美國簽證和護照服務不受影響,華府危機卻迫使數十萬名聯邦政府員工留在家中,博物館和國家公園關門,大部份的科學研究也得暫停。
一位美國學者搭機飛了三十小時來到澳洲伯斯參加一場科學會議,才發現無法上台發表他對帕金森氏症的研究內容。拉札魯對澳洲廣播公司說:「假如我上台發表演說,或甚至只是繼續參加會議,事實上都算構成聯邦罪行。」
「我為這場演講準備了這麼久,這些努力現在全都白費了。」
(自由時報/翻譯:俞智敏)
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