国防部披露裁军细节

 　　The military cuts President Xi Jinping announced on Thursday will mainly target "troops equipped with outdated¹ armaments, administrative² staff and noncombatant personnel", Ministry³ of National Defense⁴ spokesman Yang Yujun said at a news conference. The decision to cut 300,000 troops will be the country's fourth such major reduction since the 1980s.

　　9月3日，国家主席习近平宣布裁减军队员额30万。国防部新闻发言人杨宇军在新闻发布会上表示，这次裁减军队员额，重点是“压减老旧装备部队，精简机关和非战斗机构人员”。这将是上世纪80年代以来第四次大规模裁军。

　　Since the 1980s, China has reduced the size of its military in three stages - by 1 million, 500,000 and 200,000 personnel. There are currently 2.3 million members. The reduction will be completed by the end of 2017 in order to optimize⁵ the structure of Chinese forces, Yang said.

　　上世纪80年代以来，中国先后裁减军队员额100万、50万、20万，中国军队现有总员额230万。杨宇军表示，这次裁减军队员额将于2017年年底基本完成，旨在调整优化军队结构。

　　国防部披露裁军细节

　　Xi's announcement "fully⁶ demonstrates China's sincerity⁷ and hope in jointly⁸ championing peace, seeking development and enjoying prosperity with various countries in the world", Yang said. The decision also shows the country's "proactive, responsible attitude toward advancing international arms control and disarmament", the spokesman added.

　　杨宇军表示，习主席宣布我国将裁减军队员额30万，“充分彰显我国同世界各国一道共护和平、共谋发展、共享繁荣的诚意和愿望。也展示我国推动国际军控和裁军的积极的负责任的态度。”

　　Asked if the announcement signifies the start of a new round of national defense and military reform, Yang said China "will come up with some new reform measures and proactively and steadily⁹ press ahead with reform of national defense and the military".

　　当被问及宣布裁军是否意味着新一轮国防和军队改革，杨宇军回应称，中国“还将相继推出一些新的改革举措，积极稳妥推进国防和军队改革。”

　　Some countries and recent media reports have again raised questions over the size of the People's Liberation Army, the world's largest. Yang said that comments made about China's alleged¹⁰ threat "run counter to the facts and are irresponsible".

　　有的国家、近日媒体报道再次质疑中国拥有世界上最大规模的军队，对此，杨宇军回应称，有些言论故意渲染“中国威胁”，这是“违背客观事实，也是不负责任的。”

　　The country is still undertaking¹¹ demanding tasks in championing national unification, securing state sovereignty and ensuring its development and interests, he said. The PLA undertakes noncombatant actions and missions such as disaster relief, international peacekeeping, and search and rescue work. China is also faced with threats posed by regional terrorism, separatism and extremism, he added. "Therefore, our military needs to maintain a certain scale, which is totally for defense purposes," he said, adding that China never sought, nor seeks, hegemony and expansion.

　　杨宇军还表示，我国仍然面临着维护国家统一、维护国家主权、维护发展利益的艰巨任务。我军还承担抢险救灾、国际维和、国际救援等非战争军事行动任务。我国还要应对地区恐怖主义、分裂主义、极端主义活动威胁。“因此，我军需要保持一定规模，这完全是出于防御目的。”杨宇军还表示，中国永远不称霸，永远不搞扩张。

　　Yang also said the defense budget needs to maintain a certain scale, as the overall level of China's arms and equipment "is comparatively lagging behind".

　　杨宇军还表示，由于我国武器装备总体水平“比较落后”，国防预算需要保持适当规模。

　　Vocabulary

　　noncombatant: 非战斗人员

　　proactive: 积极行动的

　　disarmament: 裁军

　　signify: 表示，意味着

1 outdated   

adj.旧式的，落伍的，过时的；v.使过时

参考例句：

• That list of addresses is outdated,many have changed.那个通讯录已经没用了，许多地址已经改了。
• Many of us conform to the outdated customs laid down by our forebears.我们许多人都遵循祖先立下的过时习俗。

2 administrative   

adj.行政的，管理的

参考例句：

• The administrative burden must be lifted from local government.必须解除地方政府的行政负担。
• He regarded all these administrative details as beneath his notice.他认为行政管理上的这些琐事都不值一顾。

3 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

4 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

5 optimize   

v.使优化 [=optimise]

参考例句：

• We should optimize the composition of the Standing Committees.优化人大常委会组成人员的结构。
• We should optimize our import mix and focus on bringing in advanced technology and key equipment.优化进口结构，着重引进先进技术和关键设备。

6 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

7 sincerity   

n.真诚，诚意；真实

参考例句：

• His sincerity added much more authority to the story.他的真诚更增加了故事的说服力。
• He tried hard to satisfy me of his sincerity.他竭力让我了解他的诚意。

8 jointly   

ad.联合地，共同地

参考例句：

• Tenants are jointly and severally liable for payment of the rent. 租金由承租人共同且分别承担。
• She owns the house jointly with her husband. 她和丈夫共同拥有这所房子。

9 steadily   

adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地

参考例句：

• The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。
• Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。

10 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

11 undertaking   

n.保证，许诺，事业

参考例句：

• He gave her an undertaking that he would pay the money back with in a year.他向她做了一年内还钱的保证。
• He is too timid to venture upon an undertaking.他太胆小，不敢从事任何事业。