VOA标准英语2009-Obama Calls for New Era in Trans-Pacific Rel

By Paula Wolfson
Tokyo
14 November 2009

 
U.S. President Barack Obama smiles as he arrives at a hall to deliver a speech in Tokyo, Japan
U.S. President Barack Obama is calling for a new era in trans-Pacific relations. In a speech in Tokyo, the president said America is determined¹ to partner with Asia to meet the global challenges of today.

President Obama says America is and always has been a Pacific nation. "The United States of America may have started as a series of ports and cities along the Atlantic ocean, but for generations we also have been a nation of the Pacific. Asia and the United States are not separated by this great ocean; we are bound by it," he said.

Looking out at the crowd in a packed auditorium² in Tokyo, Mr. Obama addressed the people of East Asia as extended family. He spoke³ of his childhood in Indonesia, and said he knows first hand the dynamism of the region. "There must be no doubt: as America's first Pacific President, I promise you that this Pacific nation will strengthen and sustain our leadership in this vitally important part of the world," he said.

He said America's commitment to the region begins with Japan, but does not end there. He said it is important to strengthen old alliances and build new partnerships⁵, including with China. "I know there are many who question how the United States perceives China's emergence⁶. But as I have said - in an inter-connected world, power does not need to be a zero-sum game, and nations need not fear the success of another. Cultivating spheres of cooperation - not competing spheres of influence - will lead to progress in the Asia Pacific," he said.

President Obama made clear he is seeking a delicate balance in relations with China - seeking cooperation on key global and regional issues, while keeping the human rights agenda very much alive. "The United States will never waver in speaking up for the fundamental values that we hold dear - and that includes respect for the religion and cultures of all people. Because support for human rights and human dignity is ingrained in America. But we can move these discussions forward in a spirit of partnership⁴ rather than rancor," he said.

The president - who will arrive in China on Sunday - did not specifically refer to Tibet. But he did call for action by Burma's leaders to free political prisoners and launch a dialog with democracy advocates. And he vowed⁷ greater engagement on this and other members with ASEAN, the regional grouping of Southeast Asian nations.

Overall, cooperation across the Pacific was the dominant⁸ theme of the president's speech.  He spoke of the possibility of progress in areas ranging from the global economy to climate change and the challenge posed by North Korea's nuclear ambitions. "We will not be cowed by threats, and we will continue to send a clear message through our actions, and not just our words: North Korea's refusal to meet its international obligations will lead only to less security - not more," he said.

To cheers from his audience, the president reaffirmed America's commitment to the security of Japan and South Korea. And he said the United States seeks broader engagement throughout East Asia because closer ties and stronger cooperation across the Pacific will benefit all.

1 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

2 auditorium   

n.观众席，听众席；会堂，礼堂

参考例句：

• The teacher gathered all the pupils in the auditorium.老师把全体同学集合在礼堂内。
• The stage is thrust forward into the auditorium.舞台向前突出，伸入观众席。

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 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。

5 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

6 emergence   

n.浮现，显现，出现，（植物）突出体

参考例句：

• The last decade saw the emergence of a dynamic economy.最近10年见证了经济增长的姿态。
• Language emerges and develops with the emergence and development of society.语言是随着社会的产生而产生，随着社会的发展而发展的。

7 vowed   

起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
• I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。

8 dominant   

adj.支配的，统治的；占优势的；显性的；n.主因，要素，主要的人(或物)；显性基因

参考例句：

• The British were formerly dominant in India.英国人从前统治印度。
• She was a dominant figure in the French film industry.她在法国电影界是个举足轻重的人物。