The Asia Rebalance Is Here to Stay

亚洲再平衡是一项长期方略

By Daniel R. Russel

作者：丹尼尔·拉塞尔

The security and prosperity of the United States are inextricably linked to the peaceful development of the Asia-Pacific. That’s why nearly five years ago President Obama decided to make engagement in this region a strategic priority of the United States. And that’s why 2013 has been a year of intense diplomatic engagement in Asia, as we continue to implement that vision.

美国的安全和繁荣与亚太地区的和平发展密不可分。正是出于这一原因，欧巴马总统在近五年前决定把在该地区的参与作为美国的一项战略重点。也正是出于这一原因，2013年我们在亚洲开展了紧锣密鼓的外交活动，以继续落实上述愿景。

The United States is committed to expanding the ranks of stable, democratic and prosperous nations in Asia. We can play a vital role in promoting education, security and opportunity with our partners, providing greater freedom for potentially hundreds of millions of people in the Asia-Pacific. By expanding free trade and economic growth with our Pacific partners we can create a shared prosperity that benefits us all.

美国致力于让更多亚洲国家实现稳定、民主和繁荣。同我们的合作伙伴一道，我们能够在促进教育、安全和机会方面发挥至关重要的作用，使亚太地区可能数以亿计的人享有更大的自由。通过扩大与太平洋伙伴们的自由贸易和促进经济增长，我们能够创建惠及各方的共同繁荣。

In fact, our $555 billion in exports to the region last year supported an estimated 2.8 million jobs right here in America. As Secretary of State John Kerry always says, economic policy and foreign policy are one in the same and that’s why, from the start of his tenure, he has made building on President Obama’s strategic rebalance in Asia a clear priority.

事实上，去年美国对该地区出口额达5550亿美元，为美国国内提供了大约280万个就业机会。正如约翰·克里国务卿一贯指出，经济政策和外交政策具有同一性，因此，他就职以来始终把进一步落实欧巴马总统提出的在亚洲的战略再平衡作为一项明确的首要任务。

Secretary Kerry recently returned from visiting Vietnam and the Philippines, concluding his fourth trip to Asia in the past nine months. In his first year in office the Secretary has met with all 10 ASEAN Heads of State as well as their foreign ministers; the top leaders of Australia, China, Japan, Korea and many of the Pacific Island states; co-chaired ministerial meetings with Defense Secretary Hagel, Treasury Secretary Lew and Commerce Secretary Pritzker; joined U.S. Trade Representative Froman in hosting the leaders of the Trans-Pacific Partnership; and participated in regional multilateral meetings.

克里国务卿最近刚刚结束对越南和菲律宾的访问，这是他在过去九个月内第四次出访亚洲。在担任国务卿的第一年里，他会见了东南亚国家联盟所有十国的国家元首和外交部长以及澳大利亚、中国、日本、韩国和许多太平洋岛国的国家领导人；与国防部长哈格尔、财政部长卢和商务部长普利茨克共同主持了多次部长级会议；与美国贸易代表弗罗曼一道接待了跨太平洋伙伴关系成员国的领导人；并参加了多次地区性多边会议。

As Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and the Pacific, I oversee the bureau responsible for implementing the rebalance and have attended all of these meetings. I can attest that sitting down with John Kerry is never a box-checking exercise — he’s determined to get things done and not afraid to swing for the fences.

作为负责东亚和太平洋事务的助理国务卿，我主管负责实施这一再平衡的局机构，并出席了上述各次会议。我可以证实，与约翰·克里一道参加会谈绝不是走形式——他决意取得成效，需要果断决策时绝不迟疑。

But there is much more to our engagement than meetings. Teamwork among U.S. government agencies and the private sector was responsible for the speed and effectiveness of America’s response to the devastation of Super-Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines, which Secretary Kerry saw firsthand last week in Tacloban.

但我们的参与远远不止这些会议。美国政府机构和私营行业之间的团队协作使美国能够迅速、有效地应对超级台风海燕在菲律宾造成的严重灾情，克里国务卿上周在塔克洛班亲眼目睹了救灾情况。

The multi-million dollar program for expanding regional maritime capacities that Secretary Kerry announced in Vietnam this month builds on our extensive efforts to enhance prosperity and security in Southeast Asia.

克里国务卿于本月在越南宣布的数百万美元的扩展区域性海事能力的项目，进一步扩大了我们为增进东南亚地区的繁荣与安全所做的大规模努力。

Our renewable energy, environment and climate change programs address challenges like sustainable development and food security that Secretary Kerry witnessed last week on the Mekong River.

我们的可再生能源、环境和气候变化项目针对着克里国务卿上周在湄公河地区所看到的挑战，如可持续发展及粮食安全等。

Our new educational exchange and youth initiatives keep us on track with the “youthquake” that will transform demographics in the region and which Secretary Kerry spoke to at the Global Entrepreneurship Summit this fall in Malaysia.

我们新的教育交流和青少年行动计划让我们与将改变该地区人口面貌的“青年旋风”保持同步，克里国务卿在今年秋天的全球创业峰会上向他们讲了话。

And, as Secretary Kerry hears from so many partners on each of his visits to the region, our role as a security guarantor—combined with our insistence on peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with international law and norms — keep tensions in the South and the East China Sea from escalating into conflict and ensuring stability and the free flow of commerce.

而且，正如克里国务卿在每次访问该地区时从众多合作伙伴那里听到的，我们作为安全保障者的作用——再加上我们坚持以符合国际法律及准则的和平方式解决纠纷——制止了南中国海和东中国海的紧张局势升级变成冲突，并保障了稳定以及商务的自由流动。

The United States is using its full complement of political, diplomatic and economic tools to advance our values and interests in this dynamic region. That helps explain why our partnerships with Australia, Japan and the Republic of Korea are in such good shape. That helps explain unprecedented Chinese cooperation on critical issues like North Korea, Iran and climate change. And, judging by the results of his recent visit to Hanoi and Manila, this approach is paying dividends that will benefit both the U.S. and the region through greater economic growth, security cooperation, expanded educational and people-to-people ties, and progress on governance and human rights. With our allies and emerging partners, our engagement is growing every day.

美国正在全面利用相辅相成的政治、外交和经济手段在这个充满活力的地区推进我们的价值观和各项利益。这有助于解释我们为什么同澳大利亚、日本和韩国有如此良好的伙伴关系。这有助于解释中国之所以在北韩、伊朗和气候变化等关键议题上提供前所未有的合作。而且，从他最近访问河内和马尼拉的成果来看，这个方针正在取得成效，将使美国及该地区通过增进经济增长、加强安全合作、扩大教育及民间联系并在治国和人权方面取得进步而双双受益。有了我们的盟友以及新出现的合作伙伴，我们的参与正在与日俱增。

Secretary Kerry is clearly advancing President Obama’s strategy of rebalance initiated in early 2009 and developed over his first term. The rebalance continues to be a team effort led by the president, who has hosted a series of important meetings with Asian leaders throughout the year, including his unprecedented summit meeting with President Xi of China at Sunnylands, California. The vice president has likewise visited Singapore, Japan, China and the Republic of Korea in 2013 alone.

克里国务卿显然正在推进欧巴马总统于2009年年初提出并在第一个任期内得到发展的再平衡战略。再平衡战略依然是在总统主导下的一项团队努力，他在整个一年中主持了一系列同亚洲领导人的重要会晤，其中包括首次同中国国家主席习近平在加利福尼亚州森尼兰举行首脑会晤。而仅在2013年一年内，副总统也访问了新加坡、日本、中国和韩国。

Some regional partners may fret when, for example, domestic U.S. politics prevent the president from taking his seat at meetings in Asia, but few serious people doubt America’s resolve or the Administration’s commitment to engagement in the Asia-Pacific.

一些地区合作伙伴可能会在美国国内政治因素导致总统无法出席在亚洲举行的会议时感到焦虑，但没有多少严肃认真的人对美国参与亚太地区事务的决心或美国政府的这一承诺感到怀疑。

Some may question America’s staying power, but the leaders of every Asian country I know are hungry for American innovation and entrepreneurship and are watching the U.S. energy revolution with excitement, if not envy. Never has America’s presence in the region been more welcome, and seldom — if ever — has it been more important.

有些人可能会对美国的持久力提出质疑，但我所知道的每个亚洲国家的领导人都渴望美国的创新和创业精神，并兴奋地——如果不说是羡慕地——注视着美国的能源革命。美国在该地区的存在从未像现在这样受到欢迎，而且很少——如果不说是从未——像现在这般重要。

The bottom line is this The United States enters 2014 positioned to capitalize on a year of intense engagement and investment in a region — the Asia-Pacific — that is increasingly critical to our future and to global growth.

总之，2014年伊始，美国蓄势待发，将在与我们的未来和全球增长日益重要的地区——亚太地区——开始密集接触和投入的一年。

更多精品翻译素材，敬请关注可可英语。