JULY 13, 2018 / 3:13 PM / Sue-Lin Wong / 3 MIN READ
SHENZHEN, China (Reuters) - A hotel in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen on Friday denied a report that it would charge U.S. guests an extra 25 percent amid an escalating trade war between Washington and Beijing.
However, three staff members who declined to be identified told Reuters that a discriminatory rate policy had indeed been posted at the hotel as of Thursday but had since been removed.
The Global Times, a hawkish tabloid published by the ruling Communist Party’s People’s Daily, said in a report dated Thursday that the Modern Classic Hotel Group had put up a notice at its hotel informing guests of the extra charge.
It cited a spokesperson at the hotel, surnamed Yang, saying that the hotel had posted the notice last Friday.
“We have no idea where this news came from. My phone has been ringing off the hook all day today,” Bai Lulu, a front office manager, told Reuters at the hotel.
“We treat all our guests equally. We wouldn’t charge one type of guest more than another type of guest,” Bai said, adding that the hotel did not currently have any American guests.
However, another staff member, declining to be identified, said there had indeed been notices saying Americans would be charged extra.
“There were ads up yesterday in the restaurant stating Americans would be charged 25 percent extra. We took photos.”
The Global Times had cited a spokesperson for the hotel surnamed Yang as saying their boss was “really angry about the endless tariffs the U.S. planned to impose on China”.
There has been little public evidence to date of anti-American activity in China as the trade dispute has grown increasingly bitter.
The United States and China each imposed a 25 percent tariff on $34 billion worth of the other’s goods on July 6. This week, Washington published a new set of proposed tariffs on an additional $200 billion worth of goods from China, further escalating the conflict.
“Chinese public sentiment towards the U.S. is becoming more sensitive” after Washington’s latest tariff threats, the Global Times said in its report.
Several sources have told Reuters that China issued strict guidelines to its media barring personal attacks on U.S. President Donald Trump and limiting open commentary, an apparent attempt to avoid unintentional escalation.
Authorities were also censoring potentially sensitive items on social media such as Weibo, China’s Twitter-like service, where trade-related items have been mostly kept off the list of top trending topics.
Official Chinese statements this week have taken a sharper tone, accusing the United States of “bullying” and starting the trade war.
references:
escalating trade war: 贸易战升级
declined to be identified: 不愿意透露具体身份的、匿名
discriminatory rate policy: 区别性收费政策；歧视性定价策略
hawkish tabloid: 强硬的、鹰派风格的招贴
ring off the hook: 电话一直响个不停，指有很多来电使自己顾不得接听
bitter: 原意指味道苦，此处指激烈、充满怨恨
published a new set of proposed tariffs: 发布了新的一揽子关税征收清单计划
the list of top trending topics: 微博的热搜榜
(statement) taking a sharper tone: 语气语风严厉；以严厉的口吻说
source:
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trade-china-hotel/chinese-hotel-denies-raising-rates-for-americans-amid-trade-war-idUSKBN1K30RY
extended reading:
- Shenzhen Hotel Denies Charging US Guests Extra 25% Amid Trade War
- Chengdu F&B Venues Add 'Tariffs' for American Customers
- Chinese hotels add 'US tariff' amid escalating trade dispute
https://twitter.com/qiwenlu/status/1026490881816190978
标点符号和后面的词之间没有空格，且句号后另起一句首字母大写，如".if there ..."；告示、通知文体不使用"(on) their (meals)"这样的第三人称；inform被动用法后不加用于指代前文整句的that；特定专用词汇如US，不能用小写的us；consult用于此处不匹配，后面应当接具体的职位或官员，一般意指向使领馆咨询用inquire about sth. 当然这句子里最浑的是搞不清楚自己的身份，中南海的饭馆也没有征收关税的权利，那是海关的权责范围内的事，饭馆能管的就是售卖，哪怕消费税要涨，也是消费者上缴给政府的。From now on,all American tourists are required to pay 25% tariff on their meals.Please be informed that.if there is any inconvenience,please consult the us embassy.