A:This is our rock - bottom price, Mr. Li. We can't make any further concessions. 李先生,这是我方的最低价格,不能再让了。
B:If that's the case, there's not much point in further discussion. We might as well call the whole deal off. 如果是这样的话,那就没有什么必要再谈下去了,我们是不是干脆放弃这笔生意算了!
A:What I mean is that we'll never be able to come down to your price. The gap is too great. 我的意思是说我们的价格永远不可能降到你方提出的水平,差距太大了。
B:I think it unwise for either of us to insist on his own price. How about meeting each other half way so that business can be concluded? 我想我们双方都坚持自己的价格是不明智的,能不能互相做出让 步?各方都再让一半,生意就能成了.
A:What is your proposal? 你的建议是?
B:Your unit price is 100 dollars higher than we can accept. When I suggested we meet each other half way, I meant it literally. 你方提出的单价比我们可以接受的价格高出100美元,我说的各让 一半,是名副其实的一半。
A:Do you mean to suggest that we have to make a further reduction of 50 dollars in our price? That's impossible. 你是说让我们再减价50美元吗?办不到!
B:What would you suggest? 你的意见呢?
A:The best we can do will be a reduction of another 30 dollars. That'll definitely be rock bottom. 我们最多只能再减30美元,这可真是最低价了。
B:That still leaves a gap of 20 dollars to be covered. Let's meet each other half way once more, then the gap will be closed and our business completed. 这样还剩下20美元的差额呀。我们再一次各让一半吧。这样差额就可消除,生意也就做成了。
A:You certainly have a way of talking me into it. All right, let's meet half way again. 你真有办法,把我说服了。好吧,我们再各让一半。
B:I'm glad we've come to an agreement on price. We'll go on to the other terms and conditions at our next meeting. 双方在价格上达成了协议,我感到很高兴。在下一次谈判中,我们再研究其他条款。
A:Yes, there's one other point I wish to clear up. 好。不过我还想澄清另一个问题。
B:What is it? 什么事?
A:My friends in business circles all seem to be of the opinion that the U.S. import and export corporations have become more flexible in doing business recently. 商界的许多朋友好像觉得美国的进出口公司在贸易中做法更加灵活了。
B:Yes, they're right. In fact, we have either restored or adopted international practices in our foreign trade. 正是这样。事实上,最近我们在国际贸易中恢复或采用了国际惯例和习惯做法。
A:I'm glad to hear that. With a view to expanding and further enhancing the bilateral relations between our two parties, and in particular, exchanging timely views on specific problems in the execution and enforcement of contracts, is it possible for us to have a representative that could stay permanently in Washing- ton D.C.? 听到这一点,我很高兴。为了发展和巩固我们双边之间的关系,特别是为了在执行合同过程中就具体问题及时交换意见,我们能不能 派出代表常驻华盛顿?
B:Basically speaking, yes, we welcome the establishment of repre- sentative offices by foreign companies in Washington D.C. Of course, there are more details to be attended to. We cannot settle it in a few words. 从根本上讲,可以,我们欢迎外国公司在华盛顿设立代表处,当然还有一些细节问题需要处理。这个不是三言两语就可以解决的。
A:Yes, of course. I'll call my home office tonight and let them know about it. When do we meet again? 那当然。我今晚打电话给国内公司,向他们报告这件事,我们下一次什么时候见面?
B:How about tomorrow morning at 9? 明天上午九点钟怎么样?
A:Good. I'll come back tomorrow, and we can then discuss it more specifically. 好,我明天再来,这样我们可以更具体地讨论这件事。
更多商务英语作者: 安德森 时间: 2011-12-19 15:17