In doing international trade， it is a vital step to establish business relations and promote goodwill with potential dealers.Therefore， information sources about the merchants in foreign countries are of great importance.And also how to write effective letters to prospective partners should merit our attention.
After you receive a letter of establishing business relations， or before you make formal contact with the company or firm， what is of the utmost importance for you to do is to try to know the company or firm as much as you can.The information of financial position， credit standing， goodwill， and business methods about a company or a firm is vital for your future co operation.The main purpose， in brief， is to protect yourself in the future disputes.And it is also the way to safeguard the interests of both parties involved.
在国际贸易中，与潜在客户建立业务关系，提升商业信誉是至关重要的一个环节。因此，有关外商的信息资源就显得非常重要。同时，如何写信与潜在合作伙伴有效地联系也值得我们注意。
收到建交函之后，或在与相关公司正式建立业务关系之前，最重要的是尽可能多地了解该公司。对于该公司或商号的财务状况、信用状况、商业信誉、经营方式等信息的了解，对以后的合作是至关重要的。简单地说，其目的就是要在未来的争端中获得自我保护，这也是保护双方利益的一种方法。
We should be glad to know...我方非常乐于知晓……
We should be glad to know：
A.whether they are in the wholesale trade.
B.if their financial position is considered strong.
C.if they are among leading wholesale firms in your city.
我方非常乐于知晓：
A.他们是否从事批发贸易。
B.他们的财务状况是否被认为是稳定的。
C.他们是不是你们城市的主要批发商之一。
We should be glad to know：
A.whether they have the reputation of paying promptly.
B.what credit would be safe to allow them.
C.whether they appear to have suffered very much from the strike in your district.
我方非常乐于知晓：
A.他们是否享有及时偿付的声誉。
B.给予他们什么样的信用才算安全。
C.他们是否会因你们地区的罢工而严重受挫。
We would appreciate it very much if you would let us have information about.../We should be obliged if you would inform us...如果贵方能向我方提供……我方将不胜感激
We would appreciate it very much if you would let us have information about details， as exact as possible， as to the credit that may be safely allowed to the captioned firm.
如果贵方能向我方提供有关上述公司的尽可能准确的详情，以及贵方关于其信用是否安全的看法，我方将不胜感激。
We would appreciate it very much if you would let us have information about the financial standing of the company.
如果贵方能向我方提供有关该公司财务状况的信息，我方将不胜感激。
We should be obliged if you would inform us with any pertinent information that would help make a proper evaluation for our client.
如果贵方能向我方提供任何有助于我方对客户作出正确评估的相关信息，我方将不胜感激。
We should be obliged if you would inform us whether your business relations with Messrs.J.A.Hussian & Co.during the past years would lead you to advise us to allow them 3months credit to the amount of US$6，000.
如果贵方能向我方提出建议，我方将不胜感激。因为贵方与Messrs.J.A.Hussian公司有过商业往来，请告诉我方能否给予他们为期3个月的金额达6000美元的赊账。
We should be obliged if you would inform us whether the above mentioned firm is reliable in their dealings with you.
如果贵方能告诉我方上述公司与贵方交易时是否可靠，我方将不胜感激。
We would advise/suggest you...我方建议……
In answer to your inquiry of 27October， we would advise you to regard the firm s request for credit with caution.
针对贵方10月27日的咨询函，我方建议贵方慎重对待这家公司的欠款要求。
We would suggest you to pay most careful attention to the business with them.
我方建议贵方在与他们的生意往来上要特别注意。
This is the case in which caution is necessary.We suggest that the information we have given will be treated in strict confidence.We regret that we cannot be more helpful.
贵方有必要对此事持谨慎态度。同时，我方希望贵方能对我方提供的信息严格保密。非常遗憾，我方只能提供这些帮助。
We have completed our inquiries concerning the firm you mentioned in your letter of 6June and must advise you to consider carefully any business with them.
我方完成了对贵方6月6日信中提到的公司的资信调查，我方建议贵方慎重考虑与他们的生意。
treat sth.in/as strict confidence.../be strictly confidential...严格保守秘密……
The above information is given on the understanding that it is treated as strict confidence.
提供上述信息的条件是贵方要对我方所提供的信息严格保密。
Though this information is given to the best of our belief， we must ask you to treat it in strict confidence and without any responsibility on our part.
尽管此信息的提供是基于我方对贵方坚定的信任，但是我方还是必须要求贵方严守秘密，并且我方对此不负任何责任。
Any information， of course， is strictly confidential and expenses will be gladly paid by us upon receipt of your report.
任何信息都将被严格保密，并且在收到贵方的报告时，我方将支付所花的费用。
enjoy a high reputation in.../sound enough/enjoy the fullest respect and unquestionable confidence in.../have every confidence in the uprightness of...声望很高/非常可靠/对……的诚信充满信心
The firm under inquiry enjoys a high reputation in the business circles for their punctuality in meeting obligations.
被调查的公司在商界享有很高的声望，因为他们能准时地履行其义务。
In reply to your inquiry dated 30 October concerning Messrs.Willing & Co.， Sheffield， we are pleased to say that we have every confidence in the uprightness of this firm.
针对贵方10月30日关于谢菲尔德 Messrs.Willing公司的资信调查函，我方很高兴地说我方对该公司的诚信充满信心。
The firm enjoys the fullest respect and unquestionable confidence in the business world.
该公司在商界享有别人的尊敬和毫无疑问的信任。
As far as we know， they are sound enough， but we have no certain knowledge of their true financial position.
据我方所知，他们非常可靠，但其真实的财务状况，我方不甚了解。
The company you mentioned is an old established one who has long enjoyed the highest reputation.We have done business with them for many years and have found them very correct and reliable.
贵方所提到的公司是一家久享盛誉的老公司，我方与之交易数年，发现他们正直而且可靠。
We are(very) sorry to say...我方很遗憾地说……
We are sorry to say， in the past 2years， the company has experienced a serious difficulty in finance and delayed in executing its normal payment.Over buying would appear to be a liable fault in this firm.
我方很遗憾地说，在过去的两年里，该公司经历了严重的财务困难，正常的支付难以按时执行。超量进货似乎是问题所在。
We are very sorry to say that we had to press him for payment many times， and were finally obliged to take legal steps to recover the balance of our account.
我方很遗憾地说，我方不得不多次敦促他付款，最后我方被迫采取法律措施使其偿还我方账户欠款。
资信调查回函：
Dear Sirs，
We have received a sudden bid from the American Trading Co.， Ltd， 600 Main Street， San Francisco， with which you are now doing business and the firm gives us your name as a reference.
We shall appreciate it if you inform us of your own experiences with the firm by filling in the blanks of the attached sheet and returning it to us in the enclosed envelope.
Any information you may give us will be treated as strictly confidential and expenses concerned from this inquiry will be gladly paid by us upon receipt of your bill.
Yours truly，
(Attached Sheet)
(1)How long have you been in business relations with the firm？
(2)What credit limit have you placed on their account？
(3)How promptly are terms met？
(4)What amount is currently outstanding？
敬启者：
我方突然接到旧金山缅因街600号美国贸易有限公司的递价。该公司现与贵方有业务往来，并把贵方作为证明人提供给了我方。
如果贵方能将贵方与该公司之间的业务往来情况告知我方，并填妥附表寄还我方，我方将不胜感激。
对于贵方提供的信息，我方将予以保密，接到贵方账单后，我方将支付与此次调查有关的费用。
（附表）
（1）贵方与该公司业务往来有多久了？
（2）贵方给该公司的信用限额有多大？
（3）该公司还账是否及时？
（4）目前该公司欠多少外账？
不利资信调查回函：
Dear Sirs，
We are sorry to say that our experiences with the company which you inquired about in your letter of 17June have been unsatisfactory.
It is true we were in business relations with the firm of the last 2years and on several occasions we have had lots of trouble in effecting settlements.
The company still owes US＄1， 400 for purchase made over 7months ago.The account is now in the hand of our attorneys for collection.
May we ask that you treat this information as strictly confidential without responsibility on our part.
Yours truly，
敬启者：
很遗憾，我方与贵方在6月17日函询提及的公司的业务往来一直不令人满意。
过去两年中，我方与该公司的确有业务往来，在账目结算方面多次遇到麻烦。
该公司仍然欠我方1400 美元，这是7个月前的货款。现在我方正委托律师代为收取。
请对所提供的信息严格保密，我方对此不负任何责任。
有利资信调查回函：
Dear Sirs，
The firm mentioned in your letter of September 20 is one of the most respons ible dealers of textile goods.
The company was established in 1948， and has supplied our firm with qualified goods for over 20 years.
They have always provided complete satisfaction with delivery， moderate prices and superior quality.
We believe that they may be rated as an A level company with which you can deal freely.Of course，this is our personal opinion and we assume no respons ibility in your proposed business negotiations.
We hope the above is satisfactory and will help you in making a decision.
Yours truly，
Mike
Business Manager
敬启者：
贵方在9月20日的来函中所提到的公司，是最负责的纺织贸易商之一。
该公司成立于1948年，供应我方品质优良的货物已经逾20年之久。
该公司提供的货物交货及时，价格适中，品质优良，我方对此非常满意。
我方认为该公司可以被评定为第一流的公司，可放心与之交易。当然，这是我方的个人观点，对于贵方所提出的商务谈判，我方将不负任何责任。
希望以上所述能令贵方满意，并有助贵方作出正确决策。
您真诚的，
麦克
业务部经理