安倍访美意味美日关系进入新阶段（在线收听）

安倍访美意味美日关系进入新阶段

WHITE HOUSE— Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan begins a visit to Washington next week that U.S. officials say signals a new phase in the decades-old trans-Pacific alliance. Talks between Abe and U.S. leaders will focus on trade and defense in the face of China’s rising influence in the region.

In the 70 years since the U.S. made peace with Japan after World War II, the two have gone from bitter enemies to strong trading partners and close allies.

在二战后美国与日本重修于好的70年间，两国从宿敌变为强大的贸易伙伴和亲密盟友。

Threats from a rising China, and Beijing’s claims to islands that Japan considers its own, have made that alliance even closer.

来自中国崛起的威胁，以及北京对日本认为是本国的岛屿的主权声明，都让这一盟友关系更加紧密。

On an April visit to Tokyo, President Obama offered Japan much-welcomed reassurances that the U.S. stands by its treaty commitments to defend Japan.

奥巴马总统4月份访问东京期间，他向日本保证美国会坚持其捍卫日本的承诺，这一做法得到日本的欢迎。

“Let me reiterate that our treaty commitment to Japan's security is absolute, and Article 5 [of the 1951 US-Japan Security Treaty] covers all territories under Japan's administration, including the Senkaku Islands," he said.

“让我再重申下，我们对日本安全的协议承诺是绝对的，1951年日美安全保障条约第五条覆盖日本管辖下的所有领土，其中包括尖阁列岛。”

To make the point, the U.S. is preparing a rare, lavish welcome that will include a White House ceremony, a joint news conference, and a state dinner. Abe will be the first Japanese prime minister to address a joint meeting of the U.S. Congress.

为了证明这一点，美国正准备一场罕见的隆重欢迎仪式，包括白宫举办的仪式、一场联合新闻发布会、以及一场国宴。安倍将是首位在美国国会的联席会议上发表讲话的日本首相。

“I think one of the things that the U.S. definitely wants to do is to send a strong signal not only to China but also to the rest of the region and to the Japanese people that we value the alliance," said Meredith Miller, an analyst with the National Bureau of Asian Research.

国家亚洲研究局分析家梅雷迪思·米勒说，“我认为美国肯定想做的一件事，就是不仅向中国，也向亚洲其他地区和日本人民发出强有力的信号，即我们重视这一盟友关系。”

The rising threat from China combined with U.S. military downsizing, and lingering U.S. economic weakness, are feeding the need for reassurances among the Japanese.

中国崛起的威胁、以及美军裁员和美国经济的持续衰退，使得向日本人作保证成为进一步的需要。

The Obama administration has touted a shift of its focus to Asia that goes beyond sending more ships and troops to the region.

奥巴马政府一直在兜售其重点转向亚洲的计划，不仅仅是向该地区派遣更多舰船和军队。

Trade is an important component of that rebalance, and now the U.S. wants to show off the progress it is making toward a regional trade deal.

贸易是这种再平衡的重要部分，现在美国希望显示出其在达成地区贸易协议方面取得的进展。

“One high-profile topic on the agenda will be the status of the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations, and the hope that by raising standards and leveling the playing field, we can secure an agreement that is clearly in the best interest of the United States and American businesses and American workers, but also in a way that fairly is beneficial to the Japanese economy, as well," said White House spokesman Josh Earnest.

白宫发言人乔希·厄内斯特，“我们议程中备受关注的话题将是跨太平洋伙伴关系谈判的现状，以及希望通过提升这一竞技场的标准并使之更加公平，我们能达成显然有最有利于美国、美国企业和美国工人的协议，但同时也会给日本经济带来好处。”

Japan has been moving to boost its self-defense forces, and it’s expected there will be an announcement here updating those guidelines for the first time in 18 years.

日本一直在努力增强其自卫力量，并希望将在白宫发表声明，对这些指导方针进行18年来第一次的更新升级。

It is all part of the process of updating a relationship to cope with a new reality and a new set of challenges in the region.

所有这些努力都是为了提升美日关系以应对该地区新的现实和新的系列挑战。