Only 10 days ago, US defence officials described their dialogue with China as a love- fest. The two sides had just had their “best ever” talks, said David Sedney, the Pentagon's top official for China.
僅10多天前，美國國防官員還將與中國的對話形容為是“友好和值得稱贊的”。五角大樓(Pentagon)中國事務(wù)負責人謝偉森(David Sedney)表示，雙方進行了“有史以來最好的”一次對話。
This week, a Chinese military leader called the US “villains” in response to accusations from the Pentagon that Chinese ships had harassed Impeccable, a US Navy survey vessel, in the South China Sea last weekend. Dennis Blair, the national intelligence director and former head of US Pacific Command, said the incident was the “most serious” since the collision of a US spy plane and a Chinese fighter jet over Hainan island in 2001.
然而上周，在回應(yīng)五角大樓指責中國船只于3月9號在南中國海騷擾了美國海軍監(jiān)測船“無瑕號”(Impeccable)時，中國軍方一位領(lǐng)導人把美國稱為“ 惡人”。美國國家情報總監(jiān)、美太平洋司令部前總司令丹尼斯•布萊爾(Dennis Blair)則表示，自美國偵察機于2001年與中國戰(zhàn)斗機在海南島上空發(fā)生碰撞以來，此次沖突是中美雙方“最嚴重”的一次事件。
After initial bursts of outrage, both sides seem determined not to allow the incident to damage broader relations. But it serves as a chilling reminder of the reality in military ties between the world's only superpower and the nation most likely to become its main challenger.
在最初的義憤填膺之后，中美雙方似乎都決心不讓此次事件的損害牽連更廣。然而，它再次提醒我們，讓我們冷靜地認識到中美軍事關(guān)系的現(xiàn)實(美國是世界上唯一的超級大國，而中國則最有可能成為其主要挑戰(zhàn)者)。
These ties have a history of cautious steps forward intermingled with stalling and shock disruptions. Mr Sedney's meetings with People's Liberation Army leaders in Beijing last month were, in fact, aimed at bringing bilateral military dialogue back on track after a partial suspension late last year after Washington confirmed its intention to go ahead with certain weapons sales to Taiwan.
一向以來，中美軍事關(guān)在謹慎地往前發(fā)展，其間還會出現(xiàn)停滯和突然性的中斷。事實上，謝偉森與中國人民解放軍領(lǐng)導人上個月在北京的會晤，就是為了將雙方軍事對話重新帶回正軌。在美國政府證實將繼續(xù)向臺灣出售某些武器的意向之后，該對話于去年晚些時候被部分中止。
There was, and still is, much reason for optimism that dialogue can become more frequent and meaningful and cover a wider range of topics, say defence officials and scholars.
國防官員和學者表示，無論是過去，還是現(xiàn)在，就雙方對話變得更加頻繁、更加有意義，以及夠覆蓋更多議題而言，我們有很多理由保持樂觀。
One is the fact the two sides have started discussing security conditions in Pakistan and Afghanistan, China's backyard, something unheard of earlier. Another is the intensive and detailed bilateral exchanges between a PLA naval anti-piracy mission to the Gulf of Aden and its US counterparts.
其中一個理由是，雙方已經(jīng)開始探討中國后院巴基斯坦和阿富汗安全狀況的事實，這是以前沒有過的事情。另一個理由是，中國人民解放軍在打擊亞丁灣(Gulf of Aden) 海盜時，與美國海軍進行了密集而詳細的雙邊交流。
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“The military relationship is in a phase of adjustment after the Obama administration took office,” says Zhang Minqian, an academic from the University of International Relations, adding that Beijing might have regarded the change of government in the US as an opportunity.
來自國際關(guān)系學院(University of International Relations)的學者張敏謙表示：“中美軍事關(guān)系正處于奧巴馬(Obama)政府上臺后的調(diào)整階段�！彼a充稱，中國政府可能已經(jīng)把美國政府的更替視為一次機會。
This opportunity coincides with efforts on the part of the PLA to transform itself to fill the role of the armed forces of a major power. As China stated in its defence white paper this year, the country pays increasing attention to non-traditional security threats such as terrorism and piracy.
此時，也正值中國人民解放軍努力改革，以擔負一個主要大國武裝力量的職責。正如中國在其今年的國防白皮書里所說，它對恐怖主義和海盜等非傳統(tǒng)安全威脅正給與越來越多的關(guān)注。
It intends to strengthen its naval capability to secure future lines of communication, increase military contacts with other countries and take on ever more responsibility in dealing with regional and global security threats.
中國計劃加強海軍軍力，確保未來海洋運輸?shù)哪芰Γ哟笈c其它國家的軍事聯(lián)系，并在處理地區(qū)和全球安全威脅問題上，擔負起更多前所未有的職責。
The US has emphasised it welcomes this and hopes to see more of it. Mr Sedney said the US “welcomes China as a global player”.
美國強調(diào)指出，它歡迎這種做法，并且希望看到更多這樣的措施。謝偉森表示，美國“歡迎中國在全球事務(wù)中扮演其角色”。
These changes, however, will continue to come very gradually, caution experts. “I don't think that China will be satisfying all of the US's expectations with regard to international involvement and responsibility from now on,” says Mr Zhang.
但專家警告稱，這些改變將是非常緩慢的。張敏謙表示：“我不認為從現(xiàn)在開始，中國將會在國際性參與和責任方面滿足美國的所有期望�！�
The main reason is that distrust runs deep on both sides.
主要原因是雙方互不信任由來已久。
The US continues to feel that China is building a military capability that is not necessary to address the purely defensive strategic goals it claims it has.
美國仍然覺得，中國正在打造的軍事能力，不只會用于實現(xiàn)所聲稱的、純粹的防御性戰(zhàn)略目標而言。
One example of this is China's apparent desire to own aircraft carriers, again confirmed by growing calls from senior military officials this week that the country was capable of and should build its own carrier.
其中一個例子就是中國顯然想擁有航空母艦，上周來自高級軍事官員不斷加大的呼聲——中國能夠并且應(yīng)該打造自己的航母——也再次證實了這一想法。
The PLA pairs these calls with the assurance that China would not seek hegemony and its military strategy remained defensive.
同時，中國人民解放軍還表示，中國不會尋求霸權(quán)，以及不會改變防御性的軍事戰(zhàn)略。
But US military officials are not convinced. Washington also accuses China regularly of hiding part of its military expenditure and failing to explain what it is really doing.
然而，美國軍事官員對此并不信服。美國政府還指責中國經(jīng)常隱藏部分軍事開支，并且沒有對此真實用途作出解釋。
“It is not natural for these people to reveal anything,” said a military source in frequent contact with the PLA.
一位與中國人民解放軍有著頻繁接觸的軍事消息來源表示：“對于這些人來說，他們可不習慣對任何事情作出披露�！�
The feeling of unease is mutual. “In the past, we would dig ourselves in but there is no one invading now,” says Peng Guangqian, a military scholar with close ties to the PLA.
這種不安的感覺是相互的。與人民解放軍關(guān)系密切的軍事學者彭光謙表示：“在過去，我們會做好準備，但現(xiàn)在沒有人會發(fā)動侵略了�！�
“In the era of globalisation, we are interdependent. However, none of us likes it deep in our hearts. It is like a marriage without love,” Mr Peng added.
他補充表示：“在全球化時代，我們相互依賴。然而，在內(nèi)心深處，我們當中的任何一方都不喜歡這種依賴。它就像一個沒有愛的婚姻。
