克里称美国与越南关系进入新阶段

AS IT IS 2015-08-08 Kerry: US, Vietnam Entering New Period

Vietnamese and United States officials are marking the 20th anniversary of the normalization¹ of diplomatic ties between the two countries. Vietnam is holding a series of anniversary events in the capital city of Hanoi.

At one event Friday, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said the improvement in relations took time and “didn’t come easy for either side. It took us 20 more years to move from healing to building,” he added. “Think of what we can accomplish in the 20 years to come.”

Relations between the United States and Vietnam were cut 40 years ago as the Vietnam War came to an end. In recent years, the two sides have formed strong economic ties. Last year, two-way trade topped $36 billion.

Vietnam’s Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh spoke² at a civil society meeting Friday. The Vietnamese official said he believed relations between the two countries would be raised to an even higher level.

Vietnam’s human rights record noted³

The U.S. government continues to voice concerns about Vietnam’s human rights record. The State Department’s latest human rights report is critical of Vietnam in a number of areas, including “severe restrictions⁴ on citizens’ political rights” and police attacks. It also criticizes the country for arresting or detaining too many people for no apparent reason.

Secretary of State Kerry spoke about human rights during his visit.

“Now is there still room for improvement going forward? Yes, profoundly so. Yes, there is. And we will continue to urge Vietnam to reform certain laws that may have been used to arrest or convict somebody for expressing a peaceful point of view. That’s something that we obviously believe should not occur.”

He added that, “Progress on human rights and the rule of law will provide the foundation for a deeper and more sustainable partnership⁵ between the United States and Vietnam.”

“The more we have in common, the easier it will be to convince our people to deepen our bonds and make sacrifices on each other’s behalf,” he said.

Trans-Pacific Partnership

Both the U.S. and Vietnam are now part of negotiations⁶ for a major 12-nation trade deal known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

Greg Poling studies Asia for the Center for Strategic and International Studies. He said, "Vietnam by far stands to benefit the most from the TPP.” He said the deal would not only increase Vietnamese exports to the United States, but also to Canada and Japan.

During his trip, Mr. Kerry is also meeting with Vietnam’s Communist Party General Secretary, Nguyen Phu Trong.

Last month, Mr. Trong visited President Barack Obama at the White House. "There has been a bad, difficult chapter our history," said Mr. Trong during a joint⁷ appearance with Mr. Obama. "But we have been able to rise above the past to overcome differences, to promote our shared interests and look towards the future," he added.

Words in This Story

profoundly – adv. extremely

certain – adj. some; known for sure

sustainable – adj. being able to continue at the same level or rate

bonds – n. ties

behalf – n. as a representative or; in the interests of a person or group

benefit – n. a good or helpful effect or result

chapter – n. a period of time

1 normalization   

n.（normalisation）正常化，标准化

参考例句：

• The visit signalled the normalization of relations between the two countries.这次访问显示两国关系已经正常化。
• He was pleased to the normalization of relationship between the police and the people.他很高兴警方和人民之间关系的正常化。

2 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。

3 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。

4 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

5 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。

6 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

7 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。