Gold imports into China have soared this year, turning the country, already the largest bullion miner, into a major overseas buyer for the first time in recent memory.

　　中國(guó)今年黃金進(jìn)口量激增，使這個(gè)全球最大的黃金開采國(guó)近年來首次成為一大海外買家。

　　The surge, which comes as Chinese investors look for insurance against rising inflation and currency appreciation, puts China on track to overtake India as the world’s largest consumer of gold and a powerful force in global prices.

　　黃金進(jìn)口激增之際，中國(guó)投資者正針對(duì)通脹抬頭和匯率升值而尋求“投保”，這使中國(guó)有望超越印度，成為全球最大的黃金消費(fèi)國(guó)，以及影響金價(jià)的一股強(qiáng)大力量。

　　The size of the imports – more than 209 tonnes of gold during the first 10 months of the year, a five-fold increase from an estimate of 45 tonnes last year – was revealed on Thursday. In the past, China has kept the number secret.

　　中國(guó)黃金進(jìn)口的規(guī)模是在周四公布的，數(shù)據(jù)顯示，中國(guó)在今年前10個(gè)月進(jìn)口逾209噸黃金，是去年估計(jì)為45噸的進(jìn)口量的五倍。以往中國(guó)的黃金進(jìn)口數(shù)據(jù)是保密的。

　　“Investment is really driving demand for gold,” said Cai Minggang, at the Beijing Precious Metals Exchange. “People don’t have any better investment options. Look at the stock market, or the property market – you could make huge losses there.”

　　“真正推動(dòng)黃金需求的是投資，”北京貴金屬交易所(Beijing Precious Metals Exchange)的蔡明剛（音）表示。“人們沒有更好的投資選擇。看看股市或樓市，你在那里可能遭受嚴(yán)重虧損。”

　　Beijing has encouraged retail consumption, with an announcement in August of measures to promote and regulate the local market, including expanding the banks allowed to import bullion.

　　北京方面鼓勵(lì)零售消費(fèi)，8月份曾宣布出臺(tái)相關(guān)措施，以促進(jìn)和規(guī)范當(dāng)?shù)厥袌?chǎng)，包括允許更多銀行進(jìn)口黃金。

　　Shen Xiangrong, chairman of the Shanghai Gold Exchange, who disclosed the import numbers, said uncertainties about the Chinese and global economies, and inflationary expectations, had “made gold, as a hedging tool, very popular”.

　　透露上述黃金進(jìn)口數(shù)據(jù)的上海黃金交易所(Shanghai Gold Exchange)理事長(zhǎng)沈祥榮表示，圍繞中國(guó)乃至全球經(jīng)濟(jì)的不確定性，加上通脹預(yù)期，使作為對(duì)沖工具的黃金深受歡迎。

　　The rise in Chinese demand could further inflate gold prices. Bullion hit a nominal all-time high of $1,424.10 a troy ounce last month. But adjusted for inflation, prices are far from the 1980 peak of $2,300.

　　中國(guó)需求的上升可能進(jìn)一步推高金價(jià)。上個(gè)月，金價(jià)創(chuàng)下每金衡盎司1424.10美元的名義歷史高點(diǎn)。但經(jīng)通脹因素調(diào)整后，金價(jià)仍遠(yuǎn)低于1980年達(dá)到的每盎司2300美元的峰值。

　　“The trend is undeniable – gold demand in China is rising rapidly,” said Walter de Wet, of Standard Bank in London.

　　“這一趨勢(shì)是不容否認(rèn)的——中國(guó)的黃金需求正在快速上升，”標(biāo)準(zhǔn)銀行(Standard Bank)駐倫敦的魏文德(Walter de Wet)表示。

　　China surpassed South Africa three years ago as the world’s largest producer.

　　中國(guó)三年前超越南非，成為全球最大黃金生產(chǎn)國(guó)。

　　The market upswing has prompted an increase in gold scams in Hong Kong, according to industry executives. The counterfeits have shocked the Chinese territory’s gold community not because of the amounts involved – between 200 and 2,000 ounces – but because of their sophistication.

　　與此同時(shí)，據(jù)業(yè)內(nèi)高管介紹，市場(chǎng)漲勢(shì)已引發(fā)香港的黃金騙局增加。假黃金震動(dòng)了香港黃金界，原因不在于數(shù)量（200至2000盎司），而在于其技術(shù)含量。

　　In one case, executives discovered a coating advertised as pure gold that masked a complex alloy, which included rare metals such as osmium, iridium, ruthenium and rhodium.

　　在一個(gè)案例中，業(yè)內(nèi)高管發(fā)現(xiàn)一種號(hào)稱純金的涂層其實(shí)是一種復(fù)雜的合金，含有鋨、銥、釕、銠等稀有金屬。