2005年NPR美国国家公共电台八月-China, Russia Hold Joint Military Exercis

This is Morning Edition from NPR news. I am Steve Inskeep and I am Susan Stamberg.

Russian and Chinese forces today begin 8 days of joint¹ military exercises. Some ten thousand troops are expected to take part, making this their largest joint military operation since Russia and China fought US-led forces during the Korean War. Moscow and Beijing say the exercises which are called "Peace Mission 2005" are designed to counter terrorism, extremism and separatism. But the type of weaponry involved suggests a broader agenda. NPR's Vicky O'Hara reports.

The land, sea, and air exercises will begin in the Russian port of Vladivostok and then move to China's coastal² Shandong province. They are expected to include fighter jets, landing craft, anti-submarine vessels³ and long-range bombers⁴. Jonathan Polic, an Asian specialist at the US Naval⁵ War College, is skeptical⁶ of the official rationale for the exercises.

There is a/ isn't notional scenario⁷ that has been identified here that would involve some kind of a breakdown⁸ in authority in an unidentified country, therefore, ahh, enabling or requiring Russia and China to demonstrate the capability⁹ to intervene, to restore order but, you know, some of these activities will include live-fire exercises, including some actual testing of cruise missile capabilities¹⁰ by Russian long-range bombers in the Yellow Sea.

According to reports from Russia, China originally wanted to hold the exercises closer to Taiwan, which it has threatened to attack if it pursues independence. But Russia resisted holding the exercises near Taiwan. Again, Jonathan Polic.

The Russians are at pains to argue that this does not have any implications for third party situations and in that read the question of Taiwan, but the demonstration¹¹ of certain kinds of capabilities, the testing of cruise missiles and so forth¹², puts down a marker here even if it does not have any immediate¹³ direct implications for Taiwan.

Washington has been quite restrained in its public comments about the exercises. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack says China and Russia advised Washington of what they had planned.

We are following the exercise. Eh...we expect that they will be conducted in a manner that supports some mutual¹⁴ goal of regional stability shared by the United States, China and Russia.

The exercises are notable not only for the types of weapon systems involved, but for the fact that they are being held on Chinese soil. China is extremely sensitive about its sovereignty. And since Russia and China had a falling-out in the late 1950s, the relationship between the two communist giants has been characterized by mistrust. Peter Brooks¹⁵, director of Asian studies at the Heritage Foundation, says the joint exercises are small in scale but huge in implication.

This is a further warming of the strategic partnership¹⁶ between Moscow and Beijing that was struck back in the 1990s. And it's my view that they signaled the first real post cold war steps beyond the rhetoric¹⁷ by Russia and China to balance and ultimately diminish US power across Asia.

Peter Brooks notes that both Russia and China have been upset over US support for democracy movements in their region. Over the past year and a half, the people of the former Soviet¹⁸ states of Ukraine, Georgia and Kyrgyzstan have overthrown¹⁹ autocratic governments. Analyst²⁰ CC of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies says Beijing and Moscow also are incensed²¹ by the US bases in Central Asia installed after 9/11.

Both Russia and China feel that those bases in some ways compromise their own security and they no longer buy the rationale that they are there for purposes of combating terrorism. The Chinese, in particular, believe that those bases are part of an encirclement strategy that the United States has followed vis-a-vis China these past several years.

CC says what is most worrisome for the United States about the joint exercises is not increased cooperation between Moscow and Beijing, but Russian arm sales to China.

Russia today is the only reliable military supplier to China and you've seen enormous amounts of military equipment, primarily, aircraft, submarines and ships flowing from Russia to China. And that also supports Russia's ailing²² defense²³ industries.

Michael Swaine, a senior associate in the China program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace says Russia may be using the joint exercises to showcase its wares²⁴ to a very good customer.

There are some indications that the Russians are trying to sell strategic more long-range aircraft that could launch cruise missiles and that the Chinese are interested in these. And those types of weapons are apparently²⁵ going to be used in this exercise.

The United States has tried to convince Russia over the years not to sell weapons to China, but too little effect.

Vicky O'Hara, NPR news Washington.

1 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。

2 coastal   

adj.海岸的，沿海的，沿岸的

参考例句：

• The ocean waves are slowly eating away the coastal rocks.大海的波浪慢慢地侵蚀着岸边的岩石。
• This country will fortify the coastal areas.该国将加强沿海地区的防御。

3 vessels   

n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人

参考例句：

• The river is navigable by vessels of up to 90 tons. 90 吨以下的船只可以从这条河通过。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• All modern vessels of any size are fitted with radar installations. 所有现代化船只都有雷达装置。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

4 bombers   

n.轰炸机( bomber的名词复数 )；投弹手；安非他明胶囊；大麻叶香烟

参考例句：

• Enemy bombers carried out a blitz on the city. 敌军轰炸机对这座城市进行了突袭。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The Royal Airforce sill remained dangerously short of bombers. 英国皇家空军仍未脱离极为缺乏轰炸机的危境。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 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。

6 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。

7 scenario   

n.剧本，脚本；概要

参考例句：

• But the birth scenario is not completely accurate.然而分娩脚本并非完全准确的。
• This is a totally different scenario.这是完全不同的剧本。

8 breakdown   

n.垮，衰竭；损坏，故障，倒塌

参考例句：

• She suffered a nervous breakdown.她患神经衰弱。
• The plane had a breakdown in the air,but it was fortunately removed by the ace pilot.飞机在空中发生了故障，但幸运的是被王牌驾驶员排除了。

9 capability   

n.能力；才能；(pl)可发展的能力或特性等

参考例句：

• She has the capability to become a very fine actress.她有潜力成为杰出演员。
• Organizing a whole department is beyond his capability.组织整个部门是他能力以外的事。

10 capabilities   

n.能力( capability的名词复数 )；可能；容量；[复数]潜在能力

参考例句：

• He was somewhat pompous and had a high opinion of his own capabilities. 他有点自大，自视甚高。 来自辞典例句
• Some programmers use tabs to break complex product capabilities into smaller chunks. 一些程序员认为，标签可以将复杂的功能分为每个窗格一组简单的功能。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

11 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

12 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

13 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

14 mutual   

adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的

参考例句：

• We must pull together for mutual interest.我们必须为相互的利益而通力合作。
• Mutual interests tied us together.相互的利害关系把我们联系在一起。

15 brooks   

n.小溪( brook的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Brooks gave the business when Haas caught him with his watch. 哈斯抓到偷他的手表的布鲁克斯时，狠狠地揍了他一顿。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Ade and Brooks exchanged blows yesterday and they were severely punished today. 艾德和布鲁克斯昨天打起来了，今天他们受到严厉的惩罚。 来自《简明英汉词典》

16 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。

17 rhetoric   

n.修辞学，浮夸之言语

参考例句：

• Do you know something about rhetoric?你懂点修辞学吗？
• Behind all the rhetoric,his relations with the army are dangerously poised.在冠冕堂皇的言辞背后，他和军队的关系岌岌可危。

18 Soviet   

adj.苏联的，苏维埃的；n.苏维埃

参考例句：

• Zhukov was a marshal of the former Soviet Union.朱可夫是前苏联的一位元帅。
• Germany began to attack the Soviet Union in 1941.德国在1941年开始进攻苏联。

19 overthrown   

adj. 打翻的，推倒的，倾覆的 动词overthrow的过去分词

参考例句：

• The president was overthrown in a military coup. 总统在军事政变中被赶下台。
• He has overthrown the basic standards of morality. 他已摒弃了基本的道德标准。

20 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

21 incensed   

盛怒的

参考例句：

• The decision incensed the workforce. 这个决定激怒了劳工大众。
• They were incensed at the decision. 他们被这个决定激怒了。

22 ailing   

v.生病

参考例句：

• They discussed the problems ailing the steel industry. 他们讨论了困扰钢铁工业的问题。
• She looked after her ailing father. 她照顾有病的父亲。

23 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。

24 wares   

n. 货物, 商品

参考例句：

• They sold their wares at half-price. 他们的货品是半价出售的。
• The peddler was crying up his wares. 小贩极力夸耀自己的货物。

25 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。