The Challenge of China

The Challenge of China

中国的挑战

Relations between the United States and China have turned chilly in recent months as the two countries wrangle over Taiwan, Tibet, Iran and China’s continued manipulation of its currency.

近几个月来中美关系由于台湾、西藏、伊朗和中国持续对他汇率的操控而急转直下。

its own people and internationally. China is certainly pushing its sense of grievance too far and underestimating the fear and resentment its growing power is provoking in Asia and the West.

这是由于它自己人和国际的原因。中国正在把它的委屈推向世界，而且低估了它的恐惧和怨恨的增长则正在对亚洲和西方产生挑战。

There is little hope of progress — on the global economy, global warming or Iran’s nuclear ambitions — unless Washington and Beijing work harder to manage their differences.

对于很多事情我们都对进展不抱有希望——诸如全球经济、全球变暖或是伊朗的核问题——除非华府与北京在解决纷争上更做努力。

President Obama’s decision last month to sell Taiwan $6.4 billion in helicopters, Patriot missiles and other defensive items elicited a particularly harsh reaction: Beijing has publicly threatened to punish American arms companies that sell to Taiwan, presumably by cutting off access to China’s huge market.

上个与奥巴马总统关于对台出售64亿美元包括直升机、爱国者导弹和其他防御性武器等军火的决定引出了一个特别激烈的反应：北京政府公开的威胁要盛饭美国出售给台湾军火的公司，和可能要把他们逐出中国的巨大市场。

The sales could not have been a surprise to China’s leadership. Mr. Obama told President Hu Jintao of his intentions at their summit in November in Beijing. The arms were part of a package approved by former President George W. Bush, and Mr. Obama left out the most controversial items: F-16 jets and diesel submarines.

这个出售军火案对于中国的领导阶层不是一件出其不意的事情。奥巴马先生在去年11月出访北京的时候就告诉了胡锦涛主席。这些军火是前总统布什批准的一揽子交易中的一部分，而且奥巴马先生把最重要的东西剔除了：F16战机和柴油动力潜艇。

Rather than encouraging Taiwan’s independence, as Beijing claims, the arms sales will give Taiwan’s president, Ma Ying-jeou, the confidence to continue his efforts to improve relations with the mainland. It is absurd for China to think that any Taiwanese leader would not want to bolster his country’s defenses when Beijing is modernizing its arsenal and stationing more than 1,000 missiles across the Taiwan Strait.

相较于北京所宣称的这是鼓励台湾独立的行为，这些军售其实会给台湾总统马英九以自信来继续同大陆改善关系。北京那种认为台湾的领导人会在北京政府改善装备还用上千的导弹对准了台湾的时候不想加强自己的防御保卫国家的想法是荒唐的。

Beijing’s threat to punish American companies is a dangerous game, especially at a time when criticism is rampant — around the world and on Capitol Hill — about China’s unfair trade practices.

北京政府威胁要惩罚美国公司是一个危险的游戏，特别是当各种关于中国在不公平交易的诉讼无处不在的时候——在世界上和在国会山都比比皆是。

Beijing is also complaining bitterly about President Obama’s planned meeting this month with the Dalai Lama, warning it would “damage trust and cooperation” between the two countries. American presidents have regularly met with the respected Tibetan religious leader. And China’s leaders would have more chance of calming tensions in Tibet if they sought serious compromise with the Dalai Lama, who has advocated greater autonomy for the region, not independence, as Beijing speciously claims.

北京还在奥巴马将要在此月会见达赖的计划进行挖苦的抱怨，警告说这将会“破坏两国之间的信任和合作”。美国总统们经常会见备受尊重的西藏宗教领袖。中国的领导人们也会有更多的关于宣称在西藏紧张气氛的机会，如果他们寻求与宣扬更多民族自治而不是独立的达赖喇嘛进行和解，正如北京表面上宣传的那样。

China is alienating not only the United States but also France, Britain and Germany by resisting tougher United Nations Security Council sanctions on Iran. Beijing’s view is frustratingly shortsighted. Any conflict over Iran’s nuclear program would drive up oil prices and disrupt China’s purchases.

中国的敌人不光是美国，还有因为抵制联合国安全委员会制裁伊朗决议而惹恼的法国、英国和德国。北京政府的视野是令人沮丧的短。任何对伊朗核问题的议案都会让油价飞涨还会中断中国的购买。

The Obama administration is smart to try to line up backup suppliers for China — talking to Saudi Arabia and others — as part of its bid to get Beijing to support tougher sanctions.

奥巴马政府很聪明的去尝试着邀集中国的支持者们——同苏丹和其他国家对话——作为换取中国对伊朗更严厉制裁的一部分。

The administration also was smart not to overreact when Beijing declared that the Taiwan arms sales will “cause seriously negative effects” on contacts and cooperation between the two countries. Administration officials expect the Chinese to cancel some high-level meetings. But they say they are working to ensure that midlevel military exchanges continue and that this year’s summit in Washington with President Hu goes forward.

美国政府也很聪明的在接触和两国合作时不对中国宣称对台军售会“引起严重消极影响”做出过度回应。政府官员预期中国会取消一些高层的会议。但是他们说他们正在中级的军事交换仍会继续，而且今年同胡主席在华府的峰会还将进行。

American officials say they see signs that Beijing doesn’t want to push things too hard. Outside experts worry that China may overplay its hand. That would not be in anyone’s interest.

美国官员说他们看到了北京不想让局面变得太难堪的信号。外围的专家担心中国政府会做的太过分了，那会是任何人都不想看到的局面。