美國施壓無效 57國加入亞投行
The China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has approved 57 countries as founding members after including an extra seven, according to China’s Finance Ministry.
中國財政部消息，加上新加入的7個國家，由中國領導的亞洲基礎設施投資銀行（AIIB）已經批准了57個國家作爲其創始成員國。
Sweden, Israel, South Africa, Azerbaijan, Iceland, Portugal and Poland were all included as founding members, according to a statement released by the ministry on Wednesday. The ministry added that although the March 31 deadline for founding membership application has passed, the bank will continue to accept new members. China has rejected requests from North Korea and Taiwan to join the investment bank.
週三發佈的財政部聲明指出，瑞典、以色列、南非、阿塞拜疆、冰島、葡萄牙和波蘭被納入創始成員國。財政部還表示，儘管已經過了創始成員的最後申請期限3月31日，亞投行還會繼續吸收新成員。朝鮮和臺灣申請加入該行，已被中國拒絕。
The AIIB is an “open and inclusive multilateral development bank,” China's Vice Finance Minister Shi Yaobin was cited as saying by Xinhua news agency. The 57 founding members cover five continents, including Asia, Oceania, Europe, Latin America and Africa, according to Shi. The founding members will have priority over other countries which might sign up later, as they possess the right to establish the rules for the bank.
新華社援引財政部副部長史耀斌的話指出，“亞投行是開放、包容的多邊開發銀行”。他還指出，亞投行的57個創始成員國來自歐、亞、非、大洋及拉丁美洲等5個大洲。這些國家和日後可能加入的國家相比，優勢在於有權制定亞投行的政策。
Russia became a founder of the AIIB after applying for membership two weeks ago. Joining the bank means Russian companies will be able to take part in infrastructure projects in the Asia-Pacific region as well get access to foreign investment in Russia.
2周前，俄羅斯申請加入亞投行並被批准。這意味着俄羅斯公司將能夠參與亞太地區的基礎設施建設，也能將外資吸引到俄羅斯去。
The US and Japan are the two major countries that have abstained from joining the AIIB. While the US has been pressing its allies not to join the institution which is expected to challenge the Washington-based World Bank, Japan hesitated over its relations with Washington and the AIIB's potential rivalry with the Asian Development Bank. Earlier this month, Washington reportedly questioned Japan following the rumors of its possible participation but Tokyo has denied everything.
美國和日本是2個拒絕加入亞投行的主要國家。美國向盟友們施壓不要加入亞投行，因爲這回威脅到總部位於華盛頓的世界銀行。由於亞投行和亞洲發展銀行之間可能存在的競爭，以及對日美關係的考量，日本的立場猶豫不定。本月初，有報道稱華盛頓在日本可能加入的傳言後質問過日本，但東京否定了加入亞投行的可能。
