麥凱恩抨擊中國在亞太地區的行爲

Senator John McCain has accused China of acting like “bully” in the Asia-Pacific region by using its economic strength to coerce neighbours and making territorial claims in the South China Sea that are not backed up by international law.

參議員約翰?麥凱恩(John McCain)指責中國在亞太地區的行爲舉止像個“惡霸”(bully)，利用經濟實力脅迫鄰國並在南中國海提出沒有國際法支持的領土主張。

In a speech during a visit to Australia on Tuesday, the US senator suggested Canberra should join the US in taking part in freedom of navigation operations in the disputed South China Sea. He also acknowledged US partners around the world had concerns about the administration of President Donald Trump but called on them to have patience and stick with America in the face of a resurgent China and Russia.

在週二訪問澳大利亞期間發表的一篇演講中，這位美國參議員建議堪培拉方面加入美國在有爭議的南中國海展開的航行自由行動。他還承認，美國在世界各地的夥伴都對唐納德?特朗普(Donald Trump)政府感到擔心，但呼籲它們保持耐心，面對崛起的中國和俄羅斯，堅持與美國站在一起。

“The challenge is that as China has grown wealthier and stronger, it seems to be acting more and more like a bully. It is refusing to open more of its economy so that foreign businesses can compete fairly.”

“挑戰在於，隨着中國日益變得富裕和強大，它的行爲舉止似乎越來越像個惡霸。它拒絕進一步開放本國經濟，以便讓外國企業能夠公平競爭。”

“It is stealing other peoples’ intellectual property. It is asserting vast territorial claims that have no basis in international law. And it is using its trade and investment as tools to coerce its neighbours.”

“它竊取別人的知識產權。它提出沒有國際法依據的龐大領土主張。它還利用貿易和投資作爲手段來脅迫鄰國。”

Mr McCain, who is chairman of the US Senate’s armed services committee, said he did not envisage conflict with Beijing but said it was better if Australia and the US dealt with the strategic challenges posed by China together with other partners in the Asia-Pacific region.

擔任美國參議院軍事委員會主席的麥凱恩稱，他並未設想與北京方面發生衝突，但他表示，如果澳大利亞和美國能攜手亞太地區其他夥伴一起應對中國構成的戰略挑戰，那將更好。

Mr McCain is due to attend a major defence summit in Singapore this week where he is expected to reach out to allies in the Asia Pacific region which are nervous about US policy.

麥凱恩計劃出席本週在新加坡舉行的一場重大防務峯會，預計他將爭取那些對美國的政策憂心忡忡的亞太盟友。

“I realise some of President Trump’s actions and statements have unsettled America’s friends. They have unsettled many Americans,” he said. “[But] I believe that Australia, and our other allies and partners can still count on America.”

“我明白，特朗普總統的一些言行讓美國的盟友們感到不安。他的言行也讓許多美國人不安，”他說，“（但）我相信，澳大利亞以及我們的其他盟友和夥伴仍可以依靠美國。”

Mr McCain acknowledged the US was going through a “rough patch” and there was a real debate under way in the US about what kind of role America should play in the world.

麥凱恩承認，美國正在經歷一段“艱難時期”；圍繞美國應在世界扮演何種角色，美國國內展開了一場認真的辯論。

“Frankly, I don’t know how this debate will play out. But I do believe — and I don’t think I’m exaggerating here — that the future of the world will turn to a large extent on how this debate in America is resolved.”

“老實說，我不知道這場辯論的結果將是什麼樣的。但我的確相信——而且我不認爲我是在誇大其詞——世界的未來將在很大程度上取決於美國的這場辯論如何收場。”

During his trip to Australia Mr McCain said he believed Vladimir Putin, Russia’s president, was a bigger threat than Isis following the country’s attempt to interfere with the US election.

在訪問澳大利亞期間，麥凱恩表示，他認爲俄羅斯總統弗拉基米爾?普京(Vladimir Putin)的威脅比“伊斯蘭國”(ISIS)更大，因爲俄羅斯試圖干涉美國大選。

Mr McCain’s visit to Australia comes at a sensitive time for Australia’s 65-year-old military alliance with the US. Mr Trump’s election victory and a difficult first phone call with Malcolm Turnbull, Australia’s prime minister, which the US president described as his “worst call by far”, has caused some politicians to call for a recalibration of the relationship. Public support for the alliance is at a near-decade low.

麥凱恩到訪之際，澳大利亞與美國的65年軍事聯盟處於一個敏感時刻。特朗普的勝選以及他與澳大利亞總理馬爾科姆?特恩布爾(Malcolm Turnbull)話不投機的第一次通電話——這位美國總統形容那是他“遙遙領先的最艱難通話”——促使一些政界人士呼籲調整兩國關係。公衆對澳美軍事聯盟的支持處於近10年來的低點。

There is concern in Canberra that it could become caught in the middle of a tug of war between the Trump administration and China, Australia’s largest trading partner. So far the government of Mr Turnbull has not performed a freedom of navigation operation within one of the 12-nautical mile boundaries set by China by means of its territorial claims to disputed islets in the South China Sea.

堪培拉方面擔心自己可能在特朗普政府和中國之間的角力中陷入困境，中國是澳大利亞最大的貿易伙伴。到目前爲止，特恩布爾政府尚未在中國通過對南海爭議島礁提出領土主張所設置的12海里界限內進行航行自由行動。

Mr McCain said it would be unfair to ask Australia to choose the US at the expense of China.

麥凱恩承認，要求澳大利亞以中國爲代價選擇美國是不公平的。

"That is a false choice. The real choice, the real question, is whether Australia and America are better off dealing with China’s strategic and economic challenges together, or by ourselves."

“那是一個僞選擇。真正的選擇，真正的問題，是澳大利亞與美國一起應對中國的戰略和經濟挑戰是不是更好？抑或由我們自己應對更好？”