VOA慢速英语2014 中美探讨网络安全,中国申明领土主张

 

US, China Discuss Cyber Security, Chinese Territorial¹ Claims 中美探讨网络安全,中国申明领土主张

From VOA Learning English, this is In The News. 

The United States and China held two days of high-level meetings in Beijing this week.  The talks are known as the Strategic and Economic Dialogue. 

The two sides appeared to make little progress on a number of security and economic issues.  U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Thursday that he had a “frank” discussion with Chinese officials about computer security.  He said attacks on computer systems have harmed American businesses, and “threatened our nation’s competitiveness.”

U.S. officials recently brought legal action against five Chinese military officials.  The five are now facing cyber-espionage charges.

China has rejected claims that it is stealing information from U.S. companies.  It accuses the U.S. of launching its own cyber attacks against China.

After the 2008 financial crisis, huge Chinese government spending powered China’s economy and helped to lift other economies.  On Wednesday, China’s finance minister said that it is now time for the U.S. to drive the world economy.

American businesses, in turn, have criticized China for restricting their activity in Chinese markets.  They also say the low value of Chinese money, the yuan, helps Chinese exporters sell their products overseas.

Disputes between the two nations remain.  Yet many observers believe economic cooperation is very important.

U.S. Treasury² Secretary Jack³ Lew attended the meetings in Beijing.  He later told business people that, “strengthening the commercial relationships remains⁴ an important test ahead of us.  It's a way to create economic growth and jobs in our two countries and it's a way to help drive the global economy forward."

China’s State Councilor Yang Jiechi agreed that business is what he called the “backbone” of U.S.-China relationship.  He said, "I believe all departments from our two countries' governments will pay high attention to the proposals and suggestions raised by all entrepreneurs today."

The talks in Beijing also included on discussion of Chinese territorial claims in the South China Sea.  The U.S. has blamed China for raising tensions in the area and called its territorial claims, “problematic.” 

In the past few months, China has established an air defense⁵ zone over disputed waters with Japan and put an oil rig in an area claimed by Vietnam.  China also declared rights over waters claimed by other nations in the South China Sea.

The U.S. pivot⁶ to Asia policy has led to new security agreements with the Philippines, Japan and South Korea.  It also is leading to additional U.S. military forces in the area.  China said the U.S. policy is designed to contain its rise as the main power in East Asia.

On Wednesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke⁷ at the opening of the meetings.  He said that, "China-U.S. confrontation⁸, to the two countries and the world, would definitely be a disaster.”  Mr. Xi asked both sides, in his words, to “look far into the distance, strengthen and persist on cooperation, and avoid confrontation."

Mr. Kerry said that the U.S. is not seeking to contain China and hopes that China works to guarantee regional security. 

"Despite our differences, our two nations have the ability to find common ground.  That's the foundation on which we need to build decades of prosperity for the future, and also build possibilities of stability and peace at the same time." 

The U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue have failed to produce much substance in the past few years.  But they have helped reduce tension in the East Asia.  Stapleton Roy is a former U.S. Ambassador to China.

“It is very important for us to have mechanisms⁹ that work and try to address the types of issues that arise between two countries such as China and the United States.  And I think this Strategic and Economic Dialogue is one of those mechanisms."

1 territorial   

adj.领土的，领地的

参考例句：

• The country is fighting to preserve its territorial integrity.该国在为保持领土的完整而进行斗争。
• They were not allowed to fish in our territorial waters.不允许他们在我国领海捕鱼。

2 treasury   

n.宝库；国库，金库；文库

参考例句：

• The Treasury was opposed in principle to the proposals.财政部原则上反对这些提案。
• This book is a treasury of useful information.这本书是有价值的信息宝库。

3 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。

4 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

5 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。

6 pivot   

v.在枢轴上转动；装枢轴，枢轴；adj.枢轴的

参考例句：

• She is the central pivot of creation and represents the feminine aspect in all things.她是创造的中心枢轴，表现出万物的女性面貌。
• If a spring is present,the hand wheel will pivot on the spring.如果有弹簧，手轮的枢轴会装在弹簧上。

7 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

8 confrontation   

n.对抗，对峙，冲突

参考例句：

• We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。
• After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后，他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。

9 mechanisms   

n.机械( mechanism的名词复数 )；机械装置；[生物学] 机制；机械作用

参考例句：

• The research will provide direct insight into molecular mechanisms. 这项研究将使人能够直接地了解分子的机理。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He explained how the two mechanisms worked. 他解释这两台机械装置是如何工作的。 来自《简明英汉词典》