VOA慢速英语2015 美国海军指挥官证实盟友之间的“巨大焦虑”

AS IT IS 2015-08-26 US Navy Commander Confirms 'Great Angst' Among Allies 美国海军指挥官证实盟友之间的“巨大焦虑”

The new commander of the United States Navy's Pacific Fleet is seeking to ease concerns of U.S. allies in the area. Admiral Scott H. Swift says the pivot¹ of American military forces to East Asia and the Pacific will continue. Yet some of the allies remain worried about China's development of islands in disputed waters.

Scott Swift formerly² commanded the U.S. Seventh Fleet. He became the chief of the Pacific Fleet three months ago. Since then, he has gone to the Philippines, South Korea, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and Malaysia to meet with top navy commanders.

Admiral Swift spoke³ with reporters by telephone before traveling from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore. He noted⁴ what he called “great angst” in every place he has visited. He said this feeling resulted from the worrying “scale and scope” of China's land reclamation⁵ projects in the South China Sea.

“All of them have expressed concerns and uncertainty⁶ about what the future may hold. But, I think, what's most important is to come together in a multi-lateral way and approach reconciling these differences in claims within the region in a positive way and not allow the use of coercion⁷ or force as a lever to resolve to the benefit of one party or the other,” said the admiral.

Allies raise concerns about U.S. "Pacific Pivot"

Admiral Swift was asked about concerns among America’s allies about U.S. Defense⁸ Department plans for what has been called the Pacific pivot.  

“It's less a reflection of what the United States' ability is to support the refocus, it's more of a reflection of the angst in the theater, as you suggest, many in the countries are concerned about what the future is. And many of them are turning to the United States as a continued guarantor of the stability that they've enjoyed throughout the region, certainly for the last 70 years.”

Last week, the U.S. Defense Department released its maritime⁹ security roadmap. The plan calls for 60 percent of naval¹⁰ and aviation assets deployed¹¹ to the Asia-Pacific area by 2020. Japan will be at the center of the U.S. efforts, with Guam providing a major base.

There also are to be partnerships¹² with Vietnam and India – both considered competitors of China. And military joint¹³ operations are to be expanded with Indonesia, Japan and Malaysia.

Admiral calls for better communication with China's military

Admiral Swift also expressed hope of expanding contacts with China's navy and coast guard. The aim, he said, is to try to “decrease the elements of instability that are occurring in the region.”

The Asia-Pacific Maritime Security Strategy report for 2015 says China is “using a steady progression of small, incremental¹⁴ steps to increase effective control over disputed areas and avoid escalation¹⁵ to military conflict.”

China claims much of the South China Sea. Those territorial¹⁶ claims conflict with claims of several countries, including the Philippines and Vietnam.

China blames the United States for heightening tensions in the resource-rich area, which include one of the busiest waters for trade ships.

Words in This Story

pivot – n. to turn on or around a central point

angst – n. a strong feeling of being worried or nervous

scope – n. that area that is included or dealt

reconcile – v. to cause people or groups to become friendly again after an argument or disagreement

maritime – adj. relating to sailing on the sea or doing business by sea

assets – n. a valuable person or thing

incremental – adj. change that takes place in small amounts or steps

escalation – n. to become worse or more severe

1 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。

2 formerly   

adv.从前，以前

参考例句：

• We now enjoy these comforts of which formerly we had only heard.我们现在享受到了过去只是听说过的那些舒适条件。
• This boat was formerly used on the rivers of China.这船从前航行在中国内河里。

3 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。

4 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。

5 reclamation   

n.开垦；改造；（废料等的）回收

参考例句：

• We should encourage reclamation and recycling.我们应当鼓励废物的回收和利用。
• The area is needed for a land reclamation project.一个土地开垦项目要在这一地区进行。

6 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。

7 coercion   

n.强制，高压统治

参考例句：

• Neither trickery nor coercion is used to secure confessions.既不诱供也不逼供。
• He paid the money under coercion.他被迫付钱。

8 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。

9 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。

10 naval   

adj.海军的，军舰的，船的

参考例句：

• He took part in a great naval battle.他参加了一次大海战。
• The harbour is an important naval base.该港是一个重要的海军基地。

11 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

12 partnerships   

n.伙伴关系( partnership的名词复数 )；合伙人身份；合作关系

参考例句：

• Partnerships suffer another major disadvantage: decision-making is shared. 合伙企业的另一主要缺点是决定要由大家来作。 来自英汉非文学 - 政府文件
• It involved selling off limited partnerships. 它涉及到售出有限的合伙权。 来自辞典例句

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 incremental   

adj.增加的

参考例句：

• For logic devices, the incremental current gain is very important. 对于逻辑器件来说，提高电流增益是非常重要的。 来自辞典例句
• By using an incremental approach, the problems involving material or geometric nonlinearity have been solved. 借应用一种增量方法，已经解决了包括材料的或几何的非线性问题。 来自辞典例句

15 escalation   

n.扩大，增加

参考例句：

• The threat of nuclear escalation remains. 核升级的威胁仍旧存在。 来自辞典例句
• Escalation is thus an aspect of deterrence and of crisis management. 因此逐步升级是威慑和危机处理的一个方面。 来自辞典例句

16 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。