**美中双方宣称在贸易纠纷上获得进展**
美中高级官员星期三结束了为期两天的贸易会谈，称说在使世界两个最大经济体之间关系复杂化的一些经济问题上取得进展。
一年一次的中美商贸联委会今年在华盛顿举行，是奥巴马总统赢得连任以及中国十年一次的领导层交接班之后，双方的首次高级别会谈。
中国商务部部长陈德铭说，北京将通过强化知识产权和确保政府部门以及国有银行不使用盗版软件，来解决美国对仿冒伪造美国产品的忧虑。
陈德铭说，华盛顿承诺促进向中国出口高科技产品，并承诺公平对待在美国投资的中国公司。
尽管双方在这类高级别会谈上通常发表乐观的声明，但是，美中贸易关系近年来变得越来越不平坦，华盛顿和北京针对对方提出的国际贸易纠纷不断上升。
**US, China Report Progress on Trade Disputes**
Senior U.S. and Chinese officials finished two days of trade talks Wednesday, touting progress on a number of economic issues that have complicated the relationship between the world's two biggest economies.
The annual U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade, held this year in Washington, was the first high-level meeting since President Barack Obama's re-election and China's once-a-decade leadership transition.
Chinese Commerce Minister Chen Deming says Beijing would address U.S. concerns about the counterfeiting of American goods by strengthening intellectual property rights and ensuring that government offices and state-owned banks do not use pirated software.
Chen says Washington promised to promote exports of high-technology goods to China and promised fair treatment for Chinese companies investing in the United States.
Despite the optimistic statements usually given at such high-level meetings, the U.S.-China trade relationship has grown increasingly rocky in recent years, with Washington and Beijing bringing a rising number of international trade disputes against one another.
**老挝政府否认涉入活动人士失踪**
老挝政府否认对一位知名社会活动人士的失踪负有责任，但是人权组织反驳说，安全摄像头录像显示，他被老挝当局人员拘捕。
外界最后一次看见苏马巴斯.司马富恩，是上星期六在首都万象。当时他驾驶的吉普车在一个派出所外被当局人员拦截。录像显示他被两位身份不明的人带走。
老挝外交部说，对录像的初步评估是，这位60岁的活动人士可能“因为私人冲突或者经济纠纷被劫持”。
外交部说，政府对苏马巴斯在何处没有任何信息，但是当局在“认真调查”。
** Laos Gov't Denies Role in Disappearance of Activist**
The government of Laos is denying responsibility for the disappearance of a prominent social activist, but human rights groups disagree, saying security camera footage suggests he was detained by Lao authorities.
Sombath Somphone was last seen Saturday in the capital of Vientiane, when his jeep was stopped by authorities outside a police post. Video footage appears to show him being taken away with two unidentified men.
The Lao Foreign Affairs Ministry says a preliminary assessment of the footage suggests the 60-year-old activist may have been "kidnapped because of a personal conflict or conflict in business."
It said the government has no information on Sombath's whereabouts, but that authorities are "seriously investigating."
美中高级官员星期三结束了为期两天的贸易会谈，称说在使世界两个最大经济体之间关系复杂化的一些经济问题上取得进展。
一年一次的中美商贸联委会今年在华盛顿举行，是奥巴马总统赢得连任以及中国十年一次的领导层交接班之后，双方的首次高级别会谈。
中国商务部部长陈德铭说，北京将通过强化知识产权和确保政府部门以及国有银行不使用盗版软件，来解决美国对仿冒伪造美国产品的忧虑。
陈德铭说，华盛顿承诺促进向中国出口高科技产品，并承诺公平对待在美国投资的中国公司。
尽管双方在这类高级别会谈上通常发表乐观的声明，但是，美中贸易关系近年来变得越来越不平坦，华盛顿和北京针对对方提出的国际贸易纠纷不断上升。
**US, China Report Progress on Trade Disputes**
Senior U.S. and Chinese officials finished two days of trade talks Wednesday, touting progress on a number of economic issues that have complicated the relationship between the world's two biggest economies.
The annual U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade, held this year in Washington, was the first high-level meeting since President Barack Obama's re-election and China's once-a-decade leadership transition.
Chinese Commerce Minister Chen Deming says Beijing would address U.S. concerns about the counterfeiting of American goods by strengthening intellectual property rights and ensuring that government offices and state-owned banks do not use pirated software.
Chen says Washington promised to promote exports of high-technology goods to China and promised fair treatment for Chinese companies investing in the United States.
Despite the optimistic statements usually given at such high-level meetings, the U.S.-China trade relationship has grown increasingly rocky in recent years, with Washington and Beijing bringing a rising number of international trade disputes against one another.
**老挝政府否认涉入活动人士失踪**
老挝政府否认对一位知名社会活动人士的失踪负有责任，但是人权组织反驳说，安全摄像头录像显示，他被老挝当局人员拘捕。
外界最后一次看见苏马巴斯.司马富恩，是上星期六在首都万象。当时他驾驶的吉普车在一个派出所外被当局人员拦截。录像显示他被两位身份不明的人带走。
老挝外交部说，对录像的初步评估是，这位60岁的活动人士可能“因为私人冲突或者经济纠纷被劫持”。
外交部说，政府对苏马巴斯在何处没有任何信息，但是当局在“认真调查”。
** Laos Gov't Denies Role in Disappearance of Activist**
The government of Laos is denying responsibility for the disappearance of a prominent social activist, but human rights groups disagree, saying security camera footage suggests he was detained by Lao authorities.
Sombath Somphone was last seen Saturday in the capital of Vientiane, when his jeep was stopped by authorities outside a police post. Video footage appears to show him being taken away with two unidentified men.
The Lao Foreign Affairs Ministry says a preliminary assessment of the footage suggests the 60-year-old activist may have been "kidnapped because of a personal conflict or conflict in business."
It said the government has no information on Sombath's whereabouts, but that authorities are "seriously investigating."
