Two senior U.S. advisers have wrapped up talks in Beijing with top officials that included a rare meeting with Chinese President Hu Jintao. While both sides stressed the importance of expanding cooperation and promoting healthy U.S.-China relations, analysts note that a wide range of challenges will continue to test ties - with the value of the Chinese currency and trade relations chief among them.
奥巴马总统的两位高级顾问刚刚结束了对中国的访问，他们在北京期间跟中国高级官员举行了会谈，而且会见了中国国家主席胡锦涛。尽管双方都强调了扩大合作和促进美中关系健康发展的重要性，分析人士指出，两国面临的一系列挑战依然存在，尤其是中国人民币币值和双边贸易失衡等问题将继续考验美中关系。
Chinese President Hu Jintao rarely meets with lower ranking visitors. Some analysts believe it is significant that Jintao sat down Wednesday with President Barack Obama's economic adviser Larry Summers and national security adviser Thomas Donilon.
胡锦涛主席不寻常地会见了这两位相对来说级别较低的来访者。一些分析人士认为，胡锦涛主席星期三能够跟奥巴马总统的经济顾问萨默斯和国家安全顾问多尼隆坐下来交谈，这本身就意义重大。
China Center Director Kenneth Liberthal is with Washington, D.C.'s Brookings Institution - a government policy research group. He said, "That suggests that the discussion that had occurred during the previous several days in Beijing had gone very well.
华盛顿智囊团布鲁金斯学会中国研究中心主任李侃如 (Kenneth Lieberthal)说：“这说明过去几天来他们在北京展开的讨论进展良好。”
"So that President Hu is now prepared to associate himself with a line of argument that says this is an extremely important relationship we should not overstress our differences, we should be able to work out things, tensions should be reduced and so forth," said Liberthal.
他说：“所以胡锦涛主席现在要显示的立场是：美中关系极为重要，我们不应过份强调我们的分歧，我们应当能够解决问题，减轻紧张气氛。”
The White House said the talks touched on a wide range of topics, including North Korea, and Iran, as well as economic and security issues.
白宫说，双方在会谈中讨论了一系列问题，其中包括北韩和伊朗以及经济和安全问题。
The meeting comes after months of discord and as the two countries continue to grapple with trade disputes. The lagging global economy also is translating into political pressure.
在这次会谈之前的几个月，美中两国一直争吵不休，特别是在贸易方面相互掣肘。拖沓的全球经济也给两国领导人增添了不少政治压力。
Liberthal noted that with some U.S. lawmakers running for re-election this November, and China already into its succession politics, the leaders of both countries are going to face increasing challenges.
李侃如指出，一些美国国会议员正在为11月的中期选举争取选票，而中国现在也已经进入下一轮政治权力的交接。这样一来，两国领导人面对的挑战势必有增无减。
"Given the combination of politics and economic concerns, both political leaders are going to have to be prepared to spend a fair amount of political capital to keep the trade relationship from slipping into a more contentious posture," said Liberthal.
他说：“考虑到政治和经济加在一起的综合效应，两国的政治领导人都必须准备拿出大量的政治资本，避免双方的贸易关系上产生更多的争执。”
In November, American voters will elect new legislators in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Chinese President Hu Jintao is slated to step down from office in 2012.
今年11月，美国选民们将选举国会参众两院的新议员，胡锦涛也计划在2012年辞去现任职务。
Professor Patrick Chovanec of Beijing's Tsinghua University says trade relations are very tense. "People have been wondering for some time now whether there is going to be a trade war break out between the United States and China; well in many ways for the past several months there has been a low-level trade war."
北京清华大学客座教授帕特里克·切瓦尼(Patrick Chovanec)说，美中贸易关系现在已经十分紧张了。他说：“美中之间是否会爆发贸易战，人们过去一段时间以来已经做了诸多揣测。从很多方面来说，双方过去几个月来就一直处于低水平的贸易战当中。”
Chovanec noted that every week or so there is another anti-dumping finding from one side or the other and sanctions being imposed.
切瓦尼说，每隔一个星期左右，双方就会宣布一项反倾销决定，并宣布制裁对方。
Just this week, the U.S. Department of Commerce approved a preliminary anti-subsidy ruling against Chinese aluminum exporters, a move that could force Chinese firms in the field to withdraw from the US market.
美国商务部本周宣布对中国铝制产品实施反补贴制裁的初始决定，此举可能迫使中国铝制品公司撤离美国市场。
Next week, U.S. lawmakers will meet to consider what government action is needed to address China's exchange-rate policy.
美国国会议员下星期将开会讨论政府需要采取什么行动来解决人民币汇率问题。
Asia analyst Gordon Chang is a columnist for Forbes magazine, who says there are bills in the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate that have a good chance of being approved. "I think it is not so much the pressure of the upcoming elections. I think it is going to have a lot to do with whether we see any substantial change in the Chinese exchange rate.
亚洲问题分析人士、福布斯杂志专栏作家章家敦(Gordon Chang)说：“我认为即将到来的选举的压力没有那么大。我认为这在很大程度上取决于中国人民币的汇率是否会有任何实质性的调整。”
"It looks fairly likely that if there is no change in the value of the RMB (Yuan), there is going to be some legislation that will come out of Congress. I do not know if President Obama will veto it or not, but this going to be a very high stakes game," said Chang.
他说：“如果人民币汇率没有改变，国会就很可能通过一些法案。我不清楚奥巴马总统是否会否决这些法案，但是这对双方都至关重要。”
Patrick Chovanec of Beijing's Tsinghua University said that while it is unclear whether U.S. and Chinese officials reached any new agreements during their meetings, both sides agree on the importance of the issue.
北京清华大学的切瓦尼说，虽然不清楚美中两国官员是否在会谈中就汇率问题达成任何新的协议，但双方都认为这个问题很重要。
"I am not so sure that there is a substantive agreement on this, but I think at least there is a recognition that it is an issue that is coming to a boil, and needs to be talked through between the two countries," said Chovanec.
他说：“我不很清楚是否就此达成了一项实质性的协议，但我认为，双方至少意识到这个问题会相当棘手，需要两国协商解决。”
Liberthal noted that while it appears China is unwilling to move on the currency issue, it is likely that it will make efforts in other areas, including resuming military-to-military dialogues.
李侃如说，中国虽然似乎不愿意就人民币汇率问题采取行动，但中国可能在恢复两国军事对话等其他领域做出相应的努力。
China sidelined military-to-military dialogues earlier this year after Washington announced a new arms deal with Taiwan.
美国政府宣布新一轮对台军售之后，北京方面今年早些时候暂停了两国的军事对话。
But analysts said if the relationship continues to sour, it not only will stall any improvement in U.S.-China ties, but also could further delay an expected visit by Mr. Hu to the United States.
但是分析人士说，如果美中关系继续恶化，两国关系不但得不到任何改善，还会进一步推迟胡锦涛对美国的访问。 |