US says Taipei's bid to join UN is ill-conceived |
文章来源： 文章作者： 发布时间：2007-09-14 06:37 字体： [ 大 中 小] 进入论坛 |
(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
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| Sept. 14 - In explicit1 and unambiguous language, Washington has reiterated3 its opposition4 to Taiwan authorities' push for a proposed referendum on UN membership, calling it an "unnecessary and unproductive provocation5" and a step "intended to change the status quo".
Thomas J. Christensen, US deputy assistant secretary of state, said he felt it was the US' obligation to warn that the content of the referendum is "ill-conceived and potentially quite harmful".
"Bad public policy initiatives are made no better for being wrapped in the flag of 'democracy'," he noted6.
Christensen, who is in charge of East Asia and Pacific affairs, made the remarks on Tuesday while addressing the concluding session of a three-day US-Taiwan Defense7 Industry Conference in Maryland.
Stressing that his comments represented the agreed views of the US government, Christensen said the island's recent activities strike Washington as "odd and unproductive".
"For the United States' part, the matter of how to respond would be straightforward8: We would reiterate2 that we do not support Taiwan's membership in international organizations that require statehood, and therefore would not support such a referendum."
He noted that supporters of the referendum make it seem that they do not take seriously Taiwan's commitments to the US and the international community, and "are willing to ignore the security interests of Taiwan's most steadfast9 friend, and are ready to put at some risk the security interests of the Taiwan people for short-term political gain".
"Our bottom line is that the potential downsides of such an initiative for Taiwan and US interests are potentially large, and, as with any UN referendum, the benefits for Taiwan's international status are non-existent, so we must oppose such an initiative strongly."
Forestalling10 any possible criticism that the US position on the referendum constitutes interference in Taiwan's affairs, Christensen said "the idea just does not stand up to scrutiny11".
"Friends have an obligation to warn friends who are moving in an unwise direction After all, it is not just Taiwan's peace and stability that Taipei's actions may threaten."
In case the referendum were to go forward unchanged, He expressed hope that "Taiwan's perceptive12, intelligent citizens will see through the rhetoric13 and make a sound judgment14 that the referendum does not serve their interests because it will be fundamentally harmful to Taiwan's external relations".
Warning of the consequences, Christensen said: "Frontal assaults on Beijing's sensitivities are bound to fail. The referendum on applying to the UN under the name Taiwan is just such a frontal assault with no hope of changing Taiwan's actual status on the international stage while increasing cross-Strait tensions."
Explaining why he had to express publicly the "disagreement with the Chen (Shui-bian) administration", he said: "I can assure you that we would not have done so had we not exhausted15 every private opportunity through consistent, unmistakable, and authoritative16 messages over an extended period of time.
"The problem here is not misunderstanding or lack of communication: It is that we believe this initiative is not good for Taiwan or us and that we have found ourselves with no alternative but to express our views directly to the Taiwan people."
Concluding his speech, he said: "Let me be perfectly17 clear: We do not recognize Taiwan as an independent state, and we do not accept the argument that provocative18 assertions of 'Taiwan independence' are in any way conducive19 to maintenance of the status quo or peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits."
Commenting on Christensen's remarks, Foreign Ministry20 spokesperson Jiang Yu said on Thursday that China hopes the United States will honor its commitment on the Taiwan question, and work with China to safeguard stability across the Taiwan Straits.
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点击  收听单词发音
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1
explicit
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| adj.详述的，明确的；坦率的；显然的 |
参考例句： |
- She was quite explicit about why she left.她对自己离去的原因直言不讳。
- He avoids the explicit answer to us.他避免给我们明确的回答。
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2
reiterate
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| v.重申，反复地说 |
参考例句： |
- Let me reiterate that we have absolutely no plans to increase taxation.让我再一次重申我们绝对没有增税的计划。
- I must reiterate that our position on this issue is very clear.我必须重申我们对这一项议题的立场很清楚。
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3
reiterated
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| 反复地说，重申( reiterate的过去式和过去分词 ) |
参考例句： |
- "Well, I want to know about it,'she reiterated. “嗯，我一定要知道你的休假日期，"她重复说。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
- Some twenty-two years later President Polk reiterated and elaborated upon these principles. 大约二十二年之后，波尔克总统重申这些原则并且刻意阐释一番。
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4
opposition
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| n.反对，敌对 |
参考例句： |
- The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
- The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。
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5
provocation
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| n.激怒，刺激，挑拨，挑衅的事物，激怒的原因 |
参考例句： |
- He's got a fiery temper and flares up at the slightest provocation.他是火爆性子，一点就着。
- They did not react to this provocation.他们对这一挑衅未作反应。
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6
noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 |
参考例句： |
- The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
- Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。
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7
defense
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| n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩 |
参考例句： |
- The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
- The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。
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8
straightforward
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| adj.正直的，坦率的；易懂的，简单的 |
参考例句： |
- A straightforward talk is better than a flowery speech.巧言不如直说。
- I must insist on your giving me a straightforward answer.我一定要你给我一个直截了当的回答。
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9
steadfast
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| adj.固定的，不变的，不动摇的；忠实的；坚贞不移的 |
参考例句： |
- Her steadfast belief never left her for one moment.她坚定的信仰从未动摇过。
- He succeeded in his studies by dint of steadfast application.由于坚持不懈的努力他获得了学业上的成功。
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11
scrutiny
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| n.详细检查，仔细观察 |
参考例句： |
- His work looks all right,but it will not bear scrutiny.他的工作似乎很好，但是经不起仔细检查。
- Few wives in their forties can weather such a scrutiny.很少年过四十的妻子经得起这么仔细的观察。
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12
perceptive
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| adj.知觉的，有洞察力的，感知的 |
参考例句： |
- This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
- He is very perceptive and nothing can be hidden from him.他耳聪目明，什么事都很难瞒住他。
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13
rhetoric
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| n.修辞学，浮夸之言语 |
参考例句： |
- Do you know something about rhetoric?你懂点修辞学吗？
- Behind all the rhetoric,his relations with the army are dangerously poised.在冠冕堂皇的言辞背后，他和军队的关系岌岌可危。
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14
judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 |
参考例句： |
- The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
- He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。
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15
exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 |
参考例句： |
- It was a long haul home and we arrived exhausted.搬运回家的这段路程特别长，到家时我们已筋疲力尽。
- Jenny was exhausted by the hustle of city life.珍妮被城市生活的忙乱弄得筋疲力尽。
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16
authoritative
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| adj.有权威的，可相信的；命令式的；官方的 |
参考例句： |
- David speaks in an authoritative tone.大卫以命令的口吻说话。
- Her smile was warm but authoritative.她的笑容很和蔼，同时又透着威严。
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17
perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 |
参考例句： |
- The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
- Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。
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18
provocative
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| adj.挑衅的，煽动的，刺激的，挑逗的 |
参考例句： |
- She wore a very provocative dress.她穿了一件非常性感的裙子。
- His provocative words only fueled the argument further.他的挑衅性讲话只能使争论进一步激化。
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19
conducive
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| adj.有益的，有助的 |
参考例句： |
- This is a more conducive atmosphere for studying.这样的氛围更有利于学习。
- Exercise is conducive to good health.体育锻炼有助于增强体质。
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20
ministry
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| n.(政府的)部；牧师 |
参考例句： |
- They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
- We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。
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