??? 隨著歐債危機(jī)持續(xù)發(fā)展，中國投資者越來越重視在葡萄牙、西班牙、希臘和其他國家尋找機(jī)會(huì)，這些為債務(wù)所困的政府正在出售公共資產(chǎn)。Rhodium的數(shù)據(jù)顯示，2011年中國向歐洲投資超過90億美元。

????但愛爾蘭所做的可不只是出售公共資產(chǎn)這么簡(jiǎn)單。這應(yīng)該也不意外，因?yàn)檫^去愛爾蘭經(jīng)濟(jì)也是依靠出口和外國投資。從輝瑞（Pfizer）到Facebook，很多美國的跨國公司都已在愛爾蘭設(shè)立了歐洲總部。愛爾蘭希望中國公司也能接踵而至——當(dāng)?shù)氐牡推髽I(yè)稅率，相對(duì)受到良好教育的、以英語為母語的勞動(dòng)力都對(duì)跨國公司具有吸引力。

????是的，爭(zhēng)奪中國投資的競(jìng)爭(zhēng)正在升溫。如果美國不更努力地與愛爾蘭或其他國家展開競(jìng)爭(zhēng)，人們很容易覺得美國在這個(gè)問題上犯了錯(cuò)。應(yīng)該承認(rèn)，愛爾蘭目前的財(cái)政狀況比美國嚴(yán)峻得多，因此迫切地需要吸引一切能夠吸引到的投資。經(jīng)過樓市暴跌和銀行業(yè)危機(jī)之后，愛爾蘭的失業(yè)率目前已經(jīng)高達(dá)14%。

????愛爾蘭正在努力扭轉(zhuǎn)這一局面。近月來，一些跡象顯示投資者似乎已重拾信心，相信愛爾蘭能比其他歐洲國家更好地解決債務(wù)危機(jī)。由于2011年經(jīng)濟(jì)增速好于預(yù)期（主要受出口拉動(dòng)），愛爾蘭10年期國債收益率已從去年7月的峰值14%下降到了8.2%。而且，自從2010年11月被迫接受歐盟-國際貨幣基金組織（International Monetary Fund）龐大的救助方案以來，今年1月愛爾蘭首度重返國際債券市場(chǎng)。

????但凱爾特之虎瞄準(zhǔn)的目標(biāo)不只是中國。本月早些時(shí)候，愛爾蘭宣布將下調(diào)針對(duì)某些高技能外國雇員的征稅，以期吸引新的投資。

????是的，愛爾蘭已意識(shí)到國內(nèi)經(jīng)濟(jì)的疲弱，希望借助外國投資者的力量重現(xiàn)經(jīng)濟(jì)繁榮。美國會(huì)效仿愛爾蘭，而不是寄望于保護(hù)主義嗎？

????As Europe's ongoing debt crisis unfolds, Chinese investors have increasingly looked to Portugal, Spain, Greece and others for opportunities as debt-troubled governments sell off public assets. In 2011, China invested more than $9 billion in Europe, according to Rhodium.

????But Ireland is doing more than banking on public assets. And this should probably come as little surprise, given that the country previously built up its economy on exports and foreign investments. Many U.S. multinationals, from Pfizer (PFE) to Facebook, have based their European headquarters in Ireland. And Ireland hopes Chinese companies might follow, with the allure of its low corporate tax rates and relatively well-educated workforce of English speakers.

????Indeed, the competition for Chinese investments is ramping up. And it's hard not to wonder if the U.S. might be mistaken for not competing better with the Irish and others. Admittedly, Ireland is in a much tougher financial spot than the U.S. and eager to lure all the investment it can. Its unemployment rate is running at a high 14%, after having been battered by a property market crash and a banking crisis.

????Ireland is turning it around. In recent months, investors have signaled renewed confidence that Ireland could overcome its financial problems better than the rest of Europe. Irish 10-year bond yields have slid to 8.2% since last July's peak of about 14% partly on better than expected growth for 2011 (driven largely by exports). What's more, in January, Ireland returned to the international bond market for the first time since it was forced to accept a mega European Union-International Monetary Fund bailout package in November 2010.

????The Celtic Tiger isn't just narrowing its focus on China, however. Earlier this month, Ireland announced it would cut the amount of tax levied on some highly skilled foreign workers in an effort to attract new investments.

????Indeed, Ireland realizes its economy at home is weak and has turned to investors abroad to help return it to its heydays. Instead of falling on protectionist rhetoric, might the U.S. follow?