Caterpillar Inc. remains confident about prospects for China's economy over the next few years despite a recent slowing as authorities there fight inflation, Richard Lavin, a group president of the world's largest maker of construction and mining equipment, said in an interview.

　　全球最大的建筑和采矿设备制造商卡特彼勒公司（Caterpillar Inc.）的集团总裁拉文（Richard Lavin）在接受记者采访时说，尽管中国经济增速因中国有关部门抗击通胀有所放缓，但卡特彼勒仍然对未来几年中国经济的前景充满信心。

　　Though demand for construction equipment in China has fallen in recent months, 'we are optimistic about where our business is going in China over the next five years,' said Mr. Lavin, whose responsibilities include China, India and other high-growth markets.

　　虽然近几个月来中国对建筑设备的需求有所下滑，但拉文说，我们对未来五年在华业务的发展方向感到乐观。拉文的职责包括中国、印度和其它高增长市场。

　　Caterpillar found itself unable to keep up with demand for excavators in China in recent years. Now, even though the economy has slowed, the company is proceeding with a series of major investments to expand its capacity there in a variety of areas.

　　近几年来卡特彼勒发现自己无法及时满足中国市场对挖掘机的需求。现在，即使经济已经放缓，但该公司还是在多个地区进行了一系列重大投资，以扩大其在华产能。

　　China accounts for more than half of global demand for construction equipment, Mr. Lavin said, and he expects the Chinese market to remain much larger than that of North America.

　　拉文说，在全球市场对建筑设备的需求中，中国占比超过一半。他预计中国市场的规模仍将大大超过北美。

　　Caterpillar already has about a dozen manufacturing plants and 8,500 employees in China.

　　卡特彼勒目前在中国已有大约十二个制造工厂，并有8,500名员工。