VOA慢速英语207 中国尼泊尔将于2017年举行联合军演（在线收听）

China and Nepal are preparing to hold their first-ever joint military exercises, officials from both countries confirmed.

中尼两国官员确认称，双方准备举行首次联合军事演习。

A spokesman for China's Defense Ministry said last week the two nations had agreed during talks to hold joint military drills. He did not provide details, adding that more information would be released later.

中国国防部发言人表示，上周两国在会谈中就举行联合军事演习达成一致。虽然并没有透露更多细节，但表示稍后将公布更多的信息。

The spokesman said the militaries of China and Nepal have cooperated with, in his words, "mutual respect" over a period of time. He added that the past cooperation led to the planning of the first joint military exercises.

发言人称，中尼两国军队本着“互相尊重”的原则在一段时期内进行了合作。他还表示，过去的合作促成了此次联合军事演习的规划。

A Nepal army spokesman said Chinese troops would train Nepali forces in ways to deal with hostage situations involving terrorist groups. Training in managing natural disasters will also take place, the official said.

尼泊尔军队发言人说，中国军队将训练尼泊尔部队在反恐和解救人质方面的能力。该发言人表示，还将进行自然灾害应对方面的培训。

India has held military drills with Nepal for years.

多年来，印度与尼泊尔连续举行了军事演习。

Experts say the joint military cooperation between China and Nepal is a sign of strengthening ties between the two countries. In recent years, Beijing has provided Nepal with millions of dollars to help build roads, hospitals and other infrastructure. China has also signed agreements to supply energy to remote mountain areas.

专家指出，中尼两国的军事合作标志着两国关系的加强。近年来，北京为尼泊尔投资了数百万美元资金用于道路，医院及其他基础设施的建设。中国还签署了为偏远山区提供能源的协议。

India to watch closely

One China expert in New Delhi, Jayadeva Ranade, told VOA that Indian officials will be carefully watching the new exercises. He questioned whether the military relationship was going to expand or remain a one-time event.

新德里一位中国专家扎亚德瓦·拉纳德（Jayadeva Ranade）告诉美国之音，印度官员将会密切关注此次军演。他怀疑两国军事关系是否会就此扩大，还是只是单纯的一次演习。

Ranade also said that India considers Nepal part of its "strategic space." Any increased Chinese presence in Nepal "brings China right up to (India's) border, which is very porous," he noted.

拉纳德还说，印度认为尼泊尔是其“战略空间”的一部分。他指出，中国在尼泊尔任何形式的援助都会“使中国轻而易举地靠近（印度）边界。”

Nepal's ambassador to India, Deep Upadhyay, said India should not be worried about the exercises affecting relations with Nepal.

尼泊尔驻印度大使Deep Upadhyay认为，印度不必担心此次军演会影响尼泊尔与印度的关系。

He told the Times of India newspaper the drills will be small and will likely not have any long-term implications.

他告诉《印度时报》，较小的演习规模不会造成任何长期的影响。

"There's really not much in it. Whichever way you look at it, Nepal has a special relationship with India and that's not going to change because of any such exercise," he said.

“这场演习并不代表什么。不管从哪个角度看，尼泊尔都与印度有着特殊的关系，这点不会因为任何演习而改变。”他说。