VOA慢速英语2015 美国国防部长访问亚洲寻求再平衡

AS IT IS 2015-04-08 US Defense¹ Secretary Visits Asia to Seek 'Rebalance' 美国国防部长访问亚洲寻求再平衡

The United States Secretary of Defense is in Tokyo as part of a weeklong trip to the Asia-Pacific area. Ashton Carter aims to support allies Japan and Korea while restating the U.S. commitment to the so-called Asia-Pacific rebalance.

That policy seeks to place more political and military power to a fast-growing area. The U.S. and China are competing for influence among Asian nations. But Ashton Carter says that does not mean they are enemies.

U.S. relations with Asian countries

“The U.S. and China are not allies, but we don’t have to be adversaries².”

Sheila Smith is the writer of the new book “Intimate Rivals: Japan’s Domestic Politics in a Rising China.” She says the Japanese and U.S. governments are seeking new guidelines on defense cooperation. She says Japan will want to center those guidelines on China’s increased power.

But she says the U.S. also has been watching China as it demonstrates its growing military power. She notes that the U.S. has 50,000 American troops on the ground in Japan.

Tensions between Japan and China have grown as the two argue over disputed islands in the East China Sea. Tensions over issues from World War II have also affected³ relations between the countries in recent years.

Defense officials say the new U.S.-Japan defense guidelines will include cooperation on space and cyber-security.

Writer Sheila Smith says the guidelines work well with the Japanese government’s proposed new understanding of the country’s constitution. That document has historically been understood as a rejection⁴ of the use of Japanese military action except in direct defense of the country.

 “And that had been extended and been interpreted to say ‘we can’t even use force to help the United States as it’s helping⁵ us.’”

The new understanding would approve of “collective self-defense.” This would permit Japan to act in alliance with the U.S. in the Pacific.

But wider military possibilities for Japan could raise concern for another U.S. ally: South Korea.

Ms. Smith says she believes Secretary Carter will make clear that the U.S.-Japan alliance is about the defense of Japan and will not interfere⁶ with the Korean peninsula.

Trans-Pacific Partnership⁷

Mr. Carter gave a speech before he left for the Asia trip. He spoke⁸ to students at the University of Arizona about the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a trade agreement with 11 other nations. Most of those nations are in Asia.

Secretary Carter called on Congress to pass a law that would permit President Obama to sign the Trans-Pacific Partnership. He said the Asia-Pacific will help define America’s future. He noted⁹ that by 2050 the Asia Pacific area will hold half of the world’s people. He said in just 15 years more than half the global middle-class population will live there. And he said regional defense spending is on the rise. 

Mr. Carter told the students that guaranteeing peace, economic health and progress in the Asia-Pacific area will be their generation’s central goal.

Secretary Carter said the trade agreement will help increase U.S. exports by a predicted $123 billion in the next ten years. He said it would be risky¹⁰ to not join the TPP. He said the U.S. could be denied access to the growing markets in the area.

Words in This Story

commitment – n. a promise to do something

adversary¹¹ – n. enemy or opponent

middle class – n. a class that is between the upper class and the lower class and includes mainly business and professional people, government officials, and skilled workers

access – n. a way of getting near, at, or to something or someone

1 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。

2 adversaries   

n.对手，敌手( adversary的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• That would cause potential adversaries to recoil from a challenge. 这会迫使潜在的敌人在挑战面前退缩。 来自辞典例句
• Every adversaries are more comfortable with a predictable, coherent America. 就连敌人也会因有可以预料的，始终一致的美国而感到舒服得多。 来自辞典例句

3 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

4 rejection   

n.拒绝，被拒，抛弃，被弃

参考例句：

• He decided not to approach her for fear of rejection.他因怕遭拒绝决定不再去找她。
• The rejection plunged her into the dark depths of despair.遭到拒绝使她陷入了绝望的深渊。

5 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。

6 interfere   

v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰

参考例句：

• If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。
• When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。

7 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。

8 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。

9 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

10 risky   

adj.有风险的，冒险的

参考例句：

• It may be risky but we will chance it anyhow.这可能有危险，但我们无论如何要冒一冒险。
• He is well aware how risky this investment is.他心里对这项投资的风险十分清楚。

11 adversary   

adj.敌手，对手

参考例句：

• He saw her as his main adversary within the company.他将她视为公司中主要的对手。
• They will do anything to undermine their adversary's reputation.他们会不择手段地去损害对手的名誉。