VOA标准英语2011--Obama Brings Economic, Security Assurances on Asia-Pacific Trip

Obama Brings Economic, Security Assurances on Asia-Pacific Trip

President Barack Obama departs this week for Hawaii where he will host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, formed in 1989 to improve economic cooperation and liberalize trade among its member nations. Mr. Obama brings economic and security assurances on his nine-day trip that also includes Australia and the East Asia Summit in Bali.

The 21 APEC leaders last gathered in the United States in 1993, when former President Bill Clinton hosted in Seattle.

The summit comes as President Barack Obama continues his efforts to jolt¹ the U.S. economy out of recession and underscores the importance of free trade in helping² to create jobs, and the challenge of competition from Asian economies, particularly China.

Ernest Bower³ with the Center for Strategic and International Studies says Mr. Obama will also be sending a message to Americans back home. "He has got to make the case that if we are going to move out of our economic slowdown, or recession, or whatever it is, that Asia is part of the answer, and being back on a forward foot on trade is going to be absolutely key to that," he said.

APEC has tried for more than a decade to build a large Asia-Pacific free-trade zone. But the United States and eight other APEC members are expected to announce a framework agreement for a smaller trade group, the Trans-Pacific Partnership⁴.

China has voiced concerns over the trade group. Analyst⁵ Michael Green of the Center for Strategic and International Studies. "Even though APEC is not a trade negotiating organization, it is the right framework of countries to move forward with a trans-Pacific trade architecture at a time when many in Asia are saying we should have an East Asian-only trade architecture," he said.

Complex economic and security relationships with China, including rivalries⁶ over the South China Sea, are a backdrop to Mr. Obama's travels.

Before APEC, top U.S. officials toured the region, including Defense⁷ Secretary Leon Panetta and Deputy Secretary of State Williams Burns. "In a complex relationship like this one, neither conflict nor cooperation is pre-ordained. As China's role in world affairs grows, keeping this relationship on a productive track will be a defining challenge for both sides," he said.

Bower, of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, says U.S. security assurances to the region are a backdrop to Mr. Obama's visit to Australia, which will allow expanded access for the U.S. military. "The U.S. security presence is very much welcomed to balance what is perceived as some recent Chinese aggression⁸, particularly in the South China Sea, also in the Senkaku, or Diaoyu [islands] up north," he said.

President Obama's trip comes at a crucial time back home, as a November 23rd deadline approaches for a congressional committee to agree on $1.2 trillion in government spending cuts.

That decision, or failure to reach a compromise, will have far-reaching effects and will be watched closely by the Asia-Pacific leaders Mr. Obama meets with on his trip.

1 jolt   

v.（使）摇动，（使）震动，（使）颠簸

参考例句：

• We were worried that one tiny jolt could worsen her injuries.我们担心稍微颠簸一下就可能会使她的伤势恶化。
• They were working frantically in the fear that an aftershock would jolt the house again.他们拼命地干着，担心余震可能会使房子再次受到震动。

2 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

3 bower   

n.凉亭，树荫下凉快之处；闺房；v.荫蔽

参考例句：

• They sat under the leafy bower at the end of the garden and watched the sun set.他们坐在花园尽头由叶子搭成的凉棚下观看落日。
• Mrs. Quilp was pining in her bower.奎尔普太太正在她的闺房里度着愁苦的岁月。

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 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。

6 rivalries   

n.敌对，竞争，对抗( rivalry的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The new government was torn by rivalries. 新政府由于各派对立而四分五裂。 来自辞典例句
• Rivalries could bring about pain and hatred or give rise to fighting. 竞争会带来痛苦、仇恨，或者引起争斗。 来自互联网

7 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。

8 aggression   

n.进攻，侵略，侵犯，侵害

参考例句：

• So long as we are firmly united, we need fear no aggression.只要我们紧密地团结，就不必惧怕外来侵略。
• Her view is that aggression is part of human nature.她认为攻击性是人类本性的一部份。