①A priority of China’s belt is to improve cross-border transport. ②It squares with ASEAN’s desire for regional integration.③As elsewhere, the soft infrastructure lags the hard, particularly at borders.④Hence a new body called the Chongqing Connectivity Initiative, set up with Singapore, to seek a single electronic platform for speeding up customs clearance.
“一带一路”的一个首要任务是改善跨境运输。这与东盟对区域一体化的愿望吻合。和其他地方一样，这里的软件基础设施落后于硬件，尤其在边界地区。为此，重庆和新加坡联合成立了名为“重庆互联互通倡议”的新部门，打造单一电子平台来加快通关速度。
①A priority of China’s belt is to improve cross-border transport.
“一带一路”的一个首要任务是改善跨境运输。
A priority of 首要任务；头等大事；当务之急
priority 优先事项；优先；优先通行权
词根 pri=first 第一
后缀 -ity=构成名词；表状态和性质等
China's belt 中国“一带一路”，英文省略掉了road，但根据意思我们应该知道它指代的是“一带一路”。所以翻译的时候要翻译完整。
improve 改进;改善;增进；提高；康复;健康好转；超过;胜过
根据后面的词选择相应的动词修饰
improve与以下词性连用
adv.
significantly improve
明显改进（或好转）
improve slightly
略有改进（或好转）
v.
continue to improve
继续改进（或好转）
expected to improve
期望改进（或好转）
need to improve
需要改进
try to improve
力图改进
improve on/upon sth 改进；做出比…更好的成绩
to achieve or produce sth that is of a better quality than sth else
We've certainly improved on last year's figures. 我们的业绩的确超过了去年的数字。
其他同义词
in the sense of advance（提高）
The country has advanced from a rural society to an industrial power.
同义词 improve, rise, grow, develop, reform, pick up, progress, thrive, upgrade, multiply, prosper, make strides
in the sense of ameliorate（改善）
Definition
to make (something) better
Nothing can be done to ameliorate the situation.
同义词 improve, better, benefit, reform, advance, promote, amend, elevate, raise, mend, mitigate, make better, assuage, meliorate
cross-border 跨境
cross-border trade 跨境贸易
cross-border electronic commerce （跨境电子商务）跨境电商
首句指明首要任务是什么。接下来论述
②It squares with ASEAN’s desire for regional integration.
这与东盟对区域一体化的愿望吻合。
It指代前面第一句所说的首要任务：改善跨境运输。
square with
1．agree with与…一致（或协调）
His actions do not square with his principles．他的行为与他的原则不一致。
His theory squares with the facts．他的理论与事实相符。
2．finish paying sth．付清…的帐
I should be able to square with you at the end of the month．我在月底就能付清你的帐。
3．arrange（things）with sb．与…把…安排好
Can you square things with the director so that the worker won't be punished for his accidental damage？
你与主任商量一下，不要使这个造成意外损失的工作人员受到处罚，行吗？
ASEAN 东南亚联盟的缩写，上文有说到。
one's desire for (某人）...愿望/渴望
[countable, uncountable] a strong hope or wish
desire to do something
a strong desire to win 有强烈想赢的渴望
desire for
a desire for knowledge 对知识的渴望
desire that
It was Harold’s desire that he should be buried next to his wife.
express/show a desire 表达愿望
She expressed a desire to visit us.
have no desire to do something (=used to emphasize that you do not want to do something)
I have no desire to cause any trouble.
overwhelming/burning desire (=very strong desire)
Paul had a burning desire to visit India.
integration
第二句话引出东盟的愿望和“一带一路"是相吻合的。
③As elsewhere, the soft infrastructure lags the hard, particularly at borders.
和其他地方一样，这里的软件基础设施落后于硬件，尤其在边界地区。
第三句介绍为什么东盟想要区域一体化的缘由。
As elsewhere 和其他地方一样
前后可加入区域地区，可特指强调某地区的其他地方一样
As elsewhere in the world/ in Europe 和世界上/欧洲其他地区一样
leg 在句中是“落后于”的意思，其实还有很多其他意思
v. 缓慢移动;发展缓慢;滞后;落后于;给(管道等)加防冻保暖层
n. 滞后，（时间上的）间隔
in the sense of drop
Definition
to fall away in strength or intensity
Trade has lagged since the embargo.
同义词
drop
fail
diminish
decrease
flag
fall off
wane
ebb
slacken
lose strength
the soft infrastructure lags the hard（infrastructure）
hard后面应该还有，省略掉。
后面强调尤其是在边界地区，和前面两句的首要任务呼应，也衔接下一句要说的内容。
④Hence a new body called the Chongqing Connectivity Initiative, set up with Singapore, to seek a single electronic platform for speeding up customs clearance.
为此，重庆和新加坡联合成立了名为“重庆互联互通倡议”的新部门，打造单一电子平台来加快通关速度。
首先先短句，划清成分。
Hence a new body（主语）/ called the Chongqing Connectivity Initiative, set up/（谓语） with Singapore, /to seek a single electronic platform/ for speeding up customs clearance.
主句是 a new body set up 成立了一个新部门
body 有机构，部门，身体等的意思，根据上下文应该是部门。
called the Chongqing Connectivity Initiative called后面是body的修饰定语，告诉我们这个新部门是做什么的。
set up with Singapore 和新加坡一起成立。开头用被动语态，没有谈及是谁和新加坡一起成立。根据倡议内容，可知知是和重庆一起成立新部门。
to seek a single electronic platform /for speeding up customs clearance.
to seek 表方式，去寻求....
a single electronic platform 单一电子平台
按照英文合起来的意思是为了寻求单一电子平台，但读起来不符合中文语境。平台可以用打造的，所以可以改成打造单一电子平台。
for speeding up customs clearance
speeding up 加快（…的）速度;
customs clearance 通关，清关
