VOA标准英语2009年-Obama Opens High-Level US-China Talks

U.S. President Barack Obama is calling for a new era of cooperation between the United States and China. Mr. Obama says despite their differences, there are key areas where the two countries can and must work together.
　
US President Barack Obama speaks during opening session of US-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue in Washington, D.C., 27 Jul 2009

President Obama says Washington and Beijing must cooperate to tackle the big problems facing the world.

"The relationship between the United States and China will shape the 21st century, which makes it as important as any bilateral¹ relationship in the world," the president said. "That really must underpin² our partnership³. That is the responsibility that together we bear."

The president spoke⁴ to high-level American and Chinese officials as they launched a two-day meeting in Washington. The U.S. China Strategic and Economic Dialogue is to discuss a broad agenda from currency concerns to foreign policy.

The president said the officials must work together to tackle worldwide challenges, including the global economic recession, climate change, and the spread of nuclear weapons.

He made specific mention of Iran and North Korea's nuclear programs.

"Neither America nor China has an interest in a terrorist acquiring a bomb, or a nuclear arms race breaking out in East Asia," Mr. Obama said. "That is why we must continue our collaboration⁵ to achieve the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula, and make it clear to North Korea that the path to security and respect can be traveled if they meet their obligations."

President Obama also talked about the need to confront threats that transcend⁶ borders. He talked about intelligence sharing to dismantle⁷ terror networks, and the establishment of early warning systems to check the spread of dangerous diseases.

"All of these issues are rooted in the fact that no one nation can meet the challenges of the 21st century on its own, nor effectively advance its interests in isolation⁸. It is this fundamental truth that compels us to cooperate," President Obama said.

The president said he is under no illusion the United States and China will agree on every issue, or always see the world in the same way. And he made clear that he will continue to speak out about human rights.

"Just as we respect China's ancient and remarkable⁹ culture, its remarkable achievements, we also strongly believe that the religion and culture of all peoples must be respected and protected, and that all people should be free to speak their minds," he said. "That includes ethnic¹⁰ and religious minorities in China, as surely as it includes minorities within the United States."

President Obama stressed that it is these differences that make dialogue even more important. He said these discussions give the two sides a chance to get to know each other better and communicate concerns with candor¹¹.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is officially hosting the talks along with Treasury¹² Secretary Timothy Geithner. Geithner and Chinese Vice¹³ Premier¹⁴ Wang Qishan told the gathering¹⁵ there are hopeful signs that the world economy is on the mend.

1 bilateral   

adj.双方的，两边的，两侧的

参考例句：

• They have been negotiating a bilateral trade deal.他们一直在商谈一项双边贸易协定。
• There was a wide gap between the views of the two statesmen on the bilateral cooperation.对双方合作的问题，两位政治家各自所持的看法差距甚大。

2 underpin   

v.加固，支撑

参考例句：

• China needs regional stability to underpin its continued economic growth.中国需要地区稳定来巩固其持续的经济增长。
• These developments are underpinned by solid progress in heavy industry.重工业的稳固发展为这些进展打下了基础。

3 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。

4 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。

5 collaboration   

n.合作，协作；勾结

参考例句：

• The two companies are working in close collaboration each other.这两家公司密切合作。
• He was shot for collaboration with the enemy.他因通敌而被枪毙了。

6 transcend   

vt.超出，超越(理性等)的范围

参考例句：

• We can't transcend the limitations of the ego.我们无法超越自我的局限性。
• Everyone knows that the speed of airplanes transcend that of ships.人人都知道飞机的速度快于轮船的速度。

7 dismantle   

vt.拆开，拆卸；废除，取消

参考例句：

• He asked for immediate help from the United States to dismantle the warheads.他请求美国立即提供援助，拆除这批弹头。
• The mower firmly refused to mow,so I decided to dismantle it.修完后割草机还是纹丝不动，于是，我决定把它拆开。

8 isolation   

n.隔离，孤立，分解，分离

参考例句：

• The millionaire lived in complete isolation from the outside world.这位富翁过着与世隔绝的生活。
• He retired and lived in relative isolation.他退休后，生活比较孤寂。

9 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

10 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

11 candor   

n.坦白，率真

参考例句：

• He covered a wide range of topics with unusual candor.他极其坦率地谈了许多问题。
• He and his wife had avoided candor,and they had drained their marriage.他们夫妻间不坦率，已使婚姻奄奄一息。

12 treasury   

n.宝库；国库，金库；文库

参考例句：

• The Treasury was opposed in principle to the proposals.财政部原则上反对这些提案。
• This book is a treasury of useful information.这本书是有价值的信息宝库。

13 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

14 premier   

adj.首要的；n.总理，首相

参考例句：

• The Irish Premier is paying an official visit to Britain.爱尔兰总理正在对英国进行正式访问。
• He requested that the premier grant him an internview.他要求那位总理接见他一次。

15 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。