VOA慢速英语--奥巴马造访越南 谈及贸易和人权

Obama to Discuss Trade, Human Rights in Vietnam 奥巴马造访越南 谈及贸易和人权

President Barack Obama’s three-day visit to Vietnam starts on Monday.

His visit is expected to strengthen the growing economic and strategic relationship between the United States and Vietnam. The two sides were at war for more than 10 years.

The economic relationship between the two began growing in 1995, after the former enemies reestablished diplomatic ties.

Vietnam now has higher levels of exports to the U.S. than any other member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). And American exports to Vietnam have grown sharply.

Vietnam is one of the 12 countries that signed the U.S.-led Trans Pacific Partnership¹ (TPP). This has given Vietnam a trade advantage over other Southeast Asia countries -- such as Indonesia and Thailand -- which did not sign the agreement.

Tuong Lai is a former aide to Vietnam’s prime minister. He said the “Trans Pacific Partnership is the key to helping² Vietnam begin a new chapter and move away from China’s orbit.”

But some members of the U.S. Congress oppose the TPP. They say a government like Vietnam’s should not be part of the trade deal. They criticize a lack of freedoms for Vietnam’s citizens.

The Vietnamese government wants the trade relationship with the U.S. to expand to include military weapons. Until recent years, few experts would have believed that the U.S. government would permit sales of weapons to its former enemy.

Cu Chi Loi is the director of the Vietnam Institute of American Studies. He told VOA that “the removal of the lethal⁴ weapons ban is…a very important symbol…Maintaining (the) embargo⁵ would show the limits” of the relationship,” he said.

The United States partly lifted its 30-year-old ban on lethal arms sales to Vietnam in October 2014. U.S. officials decided⁶ to permit what they called “the future transfer of maritime⁷ security-related” weapons.

Last year, the U.S. government provided $18 million for an American company to build two 22-meter-long aluminum⁸ patrol boats for Vietnam’s coast guard.

Pham Quang Vinh is Vietnam’s ambassador to the U.S. This month, during a visit to Texas, he called the lethal weapons ban a “barrier of the past.” He said it should be cancelled to show that his country and the United States have full relations and a strong partnership.

U.S. Defense⁹ Secretary Ash Carter told the Senate Armed Services Committee he supports a total cancellation¹⁰ of the ban.

Vietnam and the United States agree on several issues. They are both concerned about China’s activities in the South China Sea. Loi told VOA that this level of agreement has helped the United States and Vietnam to “overcome many obstacles and differences.”

Observers will watch for any information during Obama’s visit that shows the two countries are willing to work together more closely.

Many people in Vietnam are angry about China’s decision to develop and strengthen disputed reefs in the South China Sea. But Vietnam’s policy is to avoid alliances and bar foreign military bases from its territory. The country also refuses to depend on others for defense.

Yet there are reports that Vietnam could change this policy if the weapons ban is cancelled. In exchange, the U.S. military reportedly would get the right to use Vietnamese airfields¹¹ and ports, such as the large one at Cam Ranh Bay.

A major problem in the relationship between the two countries is American criticism of human rights in Vietnam. The non-governmental organization Human Rights Watch says Vietnam’s human rights record “remains dire³ in all areas.”

Earlier this month, an editorial in The Washington Post said “the lifting of the arms ban appears reasonable, but Mr. Obama should insist on real improvements on human rights before proceeding¹².”

An increasing number of Vietnamese bloggers and activists¹³ are demanding democracy, greater freedom and information about what the government is doing. But they risk being threatened or imprisoned¹⁴ by the government.

Cu Chi Loi says “the U.S. and international organizations must recognize that human rights in Vietnam have recently improved significantly. That should be taken into account objectively. A developing nation, of course, is still facing difficulties and obstacles in that issue.”

Tuong Lai and other Vietnamese say the issue of human rights should not be discussed now. He told VOA “if the economy is strengthened, it would be favorable to discuss social changes and human rights.”

Words in This Story

strategic - adj. of or related to long-term aims or goals

advantage – n. something (such as a good position or condition) that helps to make someone or something better or more likely to succeed than others

key – adj. extremely important

lethal – adj. causing or able to cause death

maritime – adj. of or relating to sailing on the sea or doing business (such as trading) by sea

obstacle – n. something that makes it difficult to do something

dire – adj. requiring immediate¹⁵ action; very urgent; very serious or extreme

proceed – v. to go or move in a particular direction (figuratively)

taken into account – expression considered

1 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

2 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

3 dire   

adj.可怕的，悲惨的，阴惨的，极端的

参考例句：

• There were dire warnings about the dangers of watching too much TV.曾经有人就看电视太多的危害性提出严重警告。
• We were indeed in dire straits.But we pulled through.那时我们的困难真是大极了，但是我们渡过了困难。

4 lethal   

adj.致死的；毁灭性的

参考例句：

• A hammer can be a lethal weapon.铁锤可以是致命的武器。
• She took a lethal amount of poison and died.她服了致命剂量的毒药死了。

5 embargo   

n.禁运（令）；vt.对...实行禁运，禁止（通商）

参考例句：

• This country put an oil embargo on an enemy country.该国对敌国实行石油禁运。
• During the war,they laid an embargo on commerce with enemy countries.在战争期间，他们禁止与敌国通商。

6 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

7 maritime   

adj.海的，海事的，航海的，近海的，沿海的

参考例句：

• Many maritime people are fishermen.许多居于海滨的人是渔夫。
• The temperature change in winter is less in maritime areas.冬季沿海的温差较小。

8 aluminum   

n.(aluminium)铝

参考例句：

• The aluminum sheets cannot be too much thicker than 0.04 inches.铝板厚度不能超过0.04英寸。
• During the launch phase,it would ride in a protective aluminum shell.在发射阶段，它盛在一只保护的铝壳里。

9 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。

10 cancellation   

n.删除，取消

参考例句：

• Heavy seas can cause cancellation of ferry services.海上风浪太大，可能须要取消渡轮服务。
• Her cancellation of her trip to Paris upset our plan.她取消了巴黎之行打乱了我们的计划。

11 airfields   

n.（较小的无建筑的）飞机场( airfield的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• For several days traffic fromthe Naples airfields was partially interrupted. 那不勒斯机场的对外交通部分地停顿了数天。 来自辞典例句
• We have achieved a great amount of destruction at airfields and air bases. 我们已把机场和空军基地大加破坏。 来自辞典例句

12 proceeding   

n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报

参考例句：

• This train is now proceeding from Paris to London.这次列车从巴黎开往伦敦。
• The work is proceeding briskly.工作很有生气地进展着。

13 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 imprisoned   

下狱，监禁( imprison的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He was imprisoned for two concurrent terms of 30 months and 18 months. 他被判处30个月和18个月的监禁，合并执行。
• They were imprisoned for possession of drugs. 他们因拥有毒品而被监禁。

15 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。