VOA慢速英语2015 新法案旨在保持马尔代夫“非军事区”

AS IT IS 2015-08-12 New Law Aims to Keep Maldives a 'Demilitarized Zone' 新法案旨在保持马尔代夫“非军事区”

The Indian Ocean island nation of the Maldives has told India it will not permit China to set up military bases on its territory. However, that is unlikely to ease concerns that China will consolidate¹ its position in the Indian Ocean.

The president of the Maldives, Abdulla Yameen, said the country will remain, what he called, a “demilitarized zone.” Mr. Yameen made the statement in a letter to Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj.

Mr. Swaraj visited the Maldives last week to express concern about a new law. The legislation permits foreigners to own land in the country if they invest $1 billion there. They also must reclaim² 70 percent of the land from the sea.

India fears this law will clear the way for China to establish its military presence in the Maldives. The country is made up of about 1,200 islands south of India. It is close to major shipping³ routes in the Indian Ocean. 

However, the Maldivian government says the law is meant to appeal to foreign investors⁵ to establish special economic zones. The government compares this to development models in countries like Dubai. It says this will give the country an economic boost and reduce its dependence⁶ on tourism.

China is a major investor⁴ in the Maldives. It has built housing projects, roads and an important bridge. Last year, the Maldives cancelled a deal with India and gave a Chinese company a project to improve the Male airport. Chinese are also the main foreign visitors to the islands.  

Experts say the new Maldivian law will make it harder for India to limit growing Chinese influence in Indian Ocean countries.  

India considers the Indian Ocean an area of strategic importance. Darshana Baruah, an expert at the Observer Research Foundation in New Delhi, says India will have to deal with the Chinese presence in the Indian Ocean.

“We already have tensions along our land border with China in north and opening up possibilities for China to make, kind of place, a permanent position within our maritime⁷ border is making India a bit nervous. Tomorrow, if China has so much of economic interest and investments in the Indian Ocean, they will have all right to kind of protect that commercial interest.”

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit the Maldives soon in an effort to increase India’s strategic influence in the country.  

Words in This Story

consolidate – v. to join or combine into one thing

zone – n. an area used for a specific purpose

route – n. a way or path

strategic – adj. concerning a general plan created to reach goals in politics, war, etc. over a period of time

1 consolidate   

v.使加固，使加强；(把...)联为一体，合并

参考例句：

• The two banks will consolidate in July next year. 这两家银行明年7月将合并。
• The government hoped to consolidate ten states to form three new ones.政府希望把十个州合并成三个新的州。

2 reclaim   

v.要求归还，收回；开垦

参考例句：

• I have tried to reclaim my money without success.我没能把钱取回来。
• You must present this ticket when you reclaim your luggage.当你要取回行李时，必须出示这张票子。

3 shipping   

n.船运（发货，运输，乘船）

参考例句：

• We struck a bargain with an American shipping firm.我们和一家美国船运公司谈成了一笔生意。
• There's a shipping charge of ￡5 added to the price.价格之外另加五英镑运输费。

4 investor   

n.投资者，投资人

参考例句：

• My nephew is a cautious investor.我侄子是个小心谨慎的投资者。
• The investor believes that his investment will pay off handsomely soon.这个投资者相信他的投资不久会有相当大的收益。

5 investors   

n.投资者，出资者( investor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a con man who bilked investors out of millions of dollars 诈取投资者几百万元的骗子
• a cash bonanza for investors 投资者的赚钱机会

6 dependence   

n.依靠，依赖；信任，信赖；隶属

参考例句：

• Doctors keep trying to break her dependence of the drug.医生们尽力使她戒除毒瘾。
• He was freed from financial dependence on his parents.他在经济上摆脱了对父母的依赖。

7 maritime   

adj.海的，海事的，航海的，近海的，沿海的

参考例句：

• Many maritime people are fishermen.许多居于海滨的人是渔夫。
• The temperature change in winter is less in maritime areas.冬季沿海的温差较小。