VOA慢速英语2015 中国领导人访问巴基斯坦将在贸易和安全方面展开合作

AS IT IS 2015-04-21 Chinese Leader Visits Pakistan for Talks on Trade, Security 中国领导人访问巴基斯坦将在贸易和安全方面展开合作

China’s President arrived in Pakistan on Monday for a two-day visit. President Xi Jinping and Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif held talks on trade and other issues in the capital, Islamabad. The two sides signed agreements for $46 billion of investments in energy and infrastructure¹ projects. Chinese and Pakistani officials were also set to talk about action against militancy² and unrest in Afghanistan.

Before Mr. Xi’s arrival, Pakistani state television broadcast programs praising Pakistan’s friendship with China. Six Pakistani fighter jets followed the president’s airplane as it entered Pakistani airspace.

During his visit, the Chinese leader is to receive Pakistan’s highest civilian³ award, the Nishan-e-Pakistan. He will also speak to Pakistan’s parliament.

Pakistan has called China its “all weather” friend. Some observers accuse the United States, a major foreign donor⁴ and ally of Pakistan, of basing its relationship on individual issues and actions.

President Xi is traveling with his wife, Madam Peng Liyuan, top Chinese ministers and Communist Party officials. Chinese business leaders are also in Pakistan.

Both countries want to discuss the China Pakistan Economic Corridor during the visit. The corridor is a system of roads, railroads, and gas and oil pipelines⁵ linking southwestern China to the Pakistani port of Gwadar. China wants to renew the ancient Silk Road. The goal is to expand road and sea links between southwest Asia and China from the time of the Han Dynasty.

Pakistan’s adviser⁶ on the economy, Sartaj Aziz, hopes new investments from China will help Pakistan’s economy.

“So this investment over an 8-10 year period of $4 billion a year, would certainly step up the investment rate, GDP ration⁷ as well as growth rate, which has somehow stagnated⁸ between three and four percent for the last seven, eight years.”

China to discuss security concerns with Pakistan

However, problems with security are a big concern. Separatist fighters in Pakistan’s Baluchistan province and Islamist militants⁹ in other areas have hurt development. Even President Xi’s trip was affected¹⁰. It was supposed to have happened last year but was postponed¹¹ because of security concerns over anti-government protests.

China’s ambassador to Pakistan, Sun Weidong, has noted¹² increased cooperation between the two countries. He told Chinese state television that his country has established a joint¹³ agreement with Pakistan to protect their interests. He said that Pakistan will set up a special military force to protect Chinese workers. And it plans to support projects linked to the economic corridor.

President Xi is expected to discuss the Chinese government’s concerns about Muslim separatists in the Xinjiang area. China is concerned that militants are receiving training and support from Pakistan’s lawless tribal¹⁴ areas.

The Chinese leader will also meet with Pakistan’s military leadership. The meeting is expected to include a discussion of military operations in Pakistan’s tribal areas. It also will likely include discussions about security in neighboring Afghanistan.

Words in This Story

infrastructure – n. the basic equipment and structures, such as roads, bridges or ports, that are needed by a country, area or organization

corridor – n. a narrow area of land used for something such as transportation or trade

donor – n. a person, group or country that gives something, such as money or food, in order to help another person, group or country

tribal – adj. relating to a tribe, a closely linked group of people

1 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

2 militancy   

n.warlike behavior or tendency

参考例句：

• Full of militancy and revolutionary ardour, the people of all nationalities in the country are working hard for the realization of the four modernizations. 全国各族人民意气风发， 斗志昂扬，为实现四个现代化而奋战。
• The seniority system is another factor that leads to union militancy. 排资论辈制度也是导致工会好斗争的另一因素。

3 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

4 donor   

n.捐献者；赠送人；(组织、器官等的)供体

参考例句：

• In these cases,the recipient usually takes care of the donor afterwards.在这类情况下，接受捐献者以后通常会照顾捐赠者。
• The Doctor transplanted the donor's heart to Mike's chest cavity.医生将捐赠者的心脏移植进麦克的胸腔。

5 pipelines   

管道( pipeline的名词复数 )； 输油管道； 在考虑（或规划、准备） 中； 在酿中

参考例句：

• The oil is carried to the oil refinery by pipelines. 石油通过输油管输送到炼油厂。
• The oil carried in pipelines. 石油用管道输送。

6 adviser   

n.劝告者，顾问

参考例句：

• They employed me as an adviser.他们聘请我当顾问。
• Our department has engaged a foreign teacher as phonetic adviser.我们系已经聘请了一位外籍老师作为语音顾问。

7 ration   

n.定量(pl.)给养，口粮；vt.定量供应

参考例句：

• The country cut the bread ration last year.那个国家去年削减面包配给量。
• We have to ration the water.我们必须限量用水。

8 stagnated   

v.停滞，不流动，不发展( stagnate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The balloting had stagnated, he couldn't win. 投票工作陷于停顿，他不能得胜。 来自辞典例句
• His mind has stagnated since his retirement. 他退休后头脑迟钝了。 来自辞典例句

9 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

10 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。

11 postponed   

vt.& vi.延期，缓办，（使）延迟vt.把…放在次要地位；[语]把…放在后面（或句尾）vi.（疟疾等）延缓发作（或复发）

参考例句：

• The trial was postponed indefinitely. 审讯无限期延迟。
• The game has already been postponed three times. 这场比赛已经三度延期了。

12 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。

13 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

14 tribal   

adj.部族的，种族的

参考例句：

• He became skilled in several tribal lingoes.他精通几种部族的语言。
• The country was torn apart by fierce tribal hostilities.那个国家被部落间的激烈冲突弄得四分五裂。