VOA双语新闻：1、中国谋求斡旋中东和平（在线收听）

中国谋求斡旋中东和平

China separately hosted both Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this week, as Beijing appears interested in playing a bigger role as a mediator in the Arab-Israeli conflict.

中国这个星期分别接待了巴勒斯坦权力机构主席阿巴斯和以色列总理内塔尼亚胡。北京看来有兴趣在调停阿以冲突中发挥更大的作用。

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was welcomed in Beijing Wednesday. He is the first Israeli leader to visit China since 2007.

以色列总理内塔尼亚胡星期三在北京受到欢迎。他是自2007年以来首位访问中国的以色列领导人。

Netanyahu’s trip comes the same week Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas visited Beijing, where President Xi Jinping presented a four-point peace plan.

同样在这个星期，巴勒斯坦权力机构主席阿巴斯也访问了北京。中国国家主席习近平就中东和平计划提出了四点主张。

China has historically backed Palestinian positions and only formally established diplomatic ties with Israel in 1992. But Xiaohe Cheng, a professor of International Relations at Renmin University, said Beijing is seeking to play the role of mediator in the Middle East.

中国历来支持巴勒斯坦人的立场，直到1992年才正式跟以色列建交。但是，人民大学国际关系学院教授成晓河说，北京正寻求扮演中东问题的调停角色。

“Certainly China wants to play a larger role, but China has no desire to replace the United States as principal mediator in the peace-making process in the Middle East,” Xiaohe said.

成晓河：“中国当然想要扮演更大的角色，但是中国不谋求取代美国成为中东和平进程的主要调停者。”

There are still key political differences between China and Israel on issues such as Syria. Beijing opposes outside military intervention, but Israel is suspected of carrying out air strikes in Syria in recent days.

中国和以色列在叙利亚等重要问题上仍然持不同立场。北京反对外部军事干预，但是以色列据称不久前空袭了叙利亚的目标。

When asked about the strikes this week, China’s foreign ministry declined to mention Israel by name.

中国外交部发言人华春莹被问到空袭事件时没有点名批评以色列。

"We hope all sides in Syria will respect Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity, remain restrained and calm, avoiding the use of military force and acts that might raise tension," said Hua Chunying, spokesperson for the ministry of foreign affairs.

华春莹：“我们希望有关各方尊重叙利亚的主权和领土完整，保持克制和冷静，避免使用武力，避免采取任何导致局势紧张升级的行动。”

Professor Xiaohe said this week’s meetings will focus on areas of cooperation between China and Israel, such as boosting economic ties.

成晓河教授说，本周的会晤将集中讨论加强经济往来等中国和以色列的合作问题。

“Netanyahu’s visit to China is aimed at strengthening ties between the two countries, and at the same time, you see that Israel has been the principal providers of high-tech know-how to China, and I think the two countries can continue to cooperate in technology cooperation areas,” he said.

成晓河：“内塔尼亚胡访问中国的目的是加强两国关系，与此同时， 我们看到以色列是向中国提供高科技知识的主要国家。 我认为两国能够继续在技术领域进行合作。”

Although President Abbas and Prime Minister Netanyahu did not meet each other while in China this week, Beijing has an economic interest in brokering peace and stability in the region.

虽然阿巴斯主席和内塔尼亚胡总理本星期访华期间并未会面，但是北京斡旋在中东地区实现和平与稳定符合北京的经济利益。

Trade between China and Israel has grown to $8 billion annually from $50 million just two decades ago, and China is now the largest importer of Middle East oil in the world.

中国和以色列之间的贸易额已经从二十年前的每年5千万美元增长到目前的每年80亿美元。中国目前是世界上最大的中东石油进口国。