China's slowing economy will be at the forefront as parliament convenes for its annual meeting this week, with a weekend interest rate cut a reminder of the challenge of balancing painful restructuring with combating the onset of deflation.

　　本周每年一度的全国人民代表大会即将召开，然通货紧缩袭来，周末央行降息，改革道路艰难前行，令中国经济放缓成为本届人大会议焦点。

　　Senior leaders at the National People's Congress, which opens on Thursday, will send an unambiguous signal about the extent of the slowdown when they cut this year's GDP growth target to around 7 percent, which would be the lowest growth in a quarter of a century.

　　全国人大会议将于3月5日召开，会议高层领导人将发出明显经济放缓信号，公布经济放缓区间，或将2015年GDP增长目标降至7%左右，这一增长目标将是25年来最低。

　　"The focus will be on state-owned enterprise reforms, price reforms and fiscal reforms," said Wang Jun, a senior economist at the China Center for International Economic Exchanges, a well-connected think-tank in Beijing.

　　中国国际经济交流中心的高级经济学家王军说：“此次大会焦点在于国有企业改革，物价改革和财政改革。”该中心位于北京，是一个社会关系广阔的智囊团。

　　"The economic growth target will definitely be lowered. A target of 7 percent is more appropriate."

　　“经济增长目标必将降低。目标定在7%较为合适。”

　　Officials are expected to argue that a lower growth target provides the opportunity to overhaul state firms, laws and the fiscal system.

　　官员们将针对较低增长目标为国企改革、法制改革和财政财政改革提供良机发表意见。

　　They hope to transform the world's second-largest economy away from the export- and investment-led model that powered three decades of rapid expansion into one that is driven by more sustainable domestic consumption.

　　中国作为世界第二大经济体，希望能从带来30多年经济快速发展的出口投资导向型经济形式，转向更为可持续的国内消费导向型经济。

　　But with fears of deflation rising - annual consumer inflation plumbed a five-year low of 0.8 percent in January - there is also a need to step in to support the economy, evidenced by two interest rates cuts since late November.

　　然而今年一月消费价格指数年比增长仅为0.8%，创五年最低，致使通货紧缩的担忧加剧。同时，中国政府也需介入，支持本国经济发展，去年11月底以来两次降息就是证明。

　　Vocabulary

　　convene：召开(会议)

　　deflation：通货紧缩

　　overhaul：改革，改造

(责任编辑：田学江)