Japan, Sticking With U.S., Says It Won’t Join China-Led Bank
日本表示跟隨美國不加入亞投行
TOKYO — Japanese leaders indicated on Tuesday that their nation would not become a founding member of a new Chinese-led Asian development bank but instead remain loyal to the United States, which has urged its allies to refrain from joining.
東京——日本的一些領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人周二表示,該國不會成為由中國牽頭成立的一家新的地區(qū)性開發(fā)銀行的創(chuàng)始成員國,而是將繼續(xù)忠于美國。美國此前曾敦促其盟友不要加入這家銀行。
The officials cited concerns about the management of the new lender, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, that echoed objections raised by Washington, which sees the bank as a challenge to American-led institutions like the World Bank. Local news reports quoted Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as saying it was important for strategic reasons that Japan stick with the United States even when other allies like Britain and Germany have announced they will join the new bank.
這些官員稱,這么做的原因是對這家新銀行——亞洲基礎(chǔ)設(shè)施投資銀行(Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank)——的管理存在擔(dān)憂,這與華盛頓提出的反對理由一致。后者認(rèn)為該行是對美國主導(dǎo)的世界銀行(World Bank)等機(jī)構(gòu)的挑戰(zhàn)。當(dāng)?shù)孛襟w援引首相安倍晉三(Shinzo Abe)的話報道,雖然美國的其他盟友,如英國和德國已宣布將加入該行,但由于戰(zhàn)略上的原因,日本仍然應(yīng)該與美國站在一起。
“The United States now knows that Japan is trustworthy,” Mr. Abe was quoted by Kyodo News as telling a meeting of his governing Liberal Democratic Party.
“美國現(xiàn)在知道,日本值得信賴,”據(jù)日本共同社(Kyodo News)報道,安倍晉三在他領(lǐng)導(dǎo)的執(zhí)政黨自民黨(Liberal Democratic Party)的會議上說。
The finance minister, Taro Aso, told a news conference that Japan would not contemplate joining until the new bank demonstrated that it had strict lending standards, including assessments of the environmental and social impacts of development projects.
日本財務(wù)大臣麻生太郎(Taro Aso)在一個新聞發(fā)布會上說,日本不會考慮加入亞投行,除非該行證明自己擁有嚴(yán)格的放貸標(biāo)準(zhǔn),包括對開發(fā)項(xiàng)目的環(huán)境和社會影響的評估。
“We have no choice but to be very cautious about participation,” Mr. Aso said.
“我們對于加入亞投行必須非常謹(jǐn)慎,別無選擇,”麻生太郎說。
Despite American objections, dozens of nations have signed up ahead of the March 31 deadline set by China to become founding members of the new bank, to be based in Beijing. The most recent to join include Australia and South Korea, two of the United States’ closest military partners in the region. South Korea’s decision reversed earlier expressions of agreement to American requests to stay away from the bank.
盡管美國提出了反對,但是仍有數(shù)十個國家在中國設(shè)定的3月31日最后期限之前,申請成為總部設(shè)在北京的亞投行的創(chuàng)始成員國。最新加入亞投行的國家包括澳大利亞和韓國,它們都是美國在該地區(qū)最親密的軍事伙伴。韓國的這一決定推翻了此前同意遵循美國意愿,遠(yuǎn)離亞投行的表態(tài)。
The decisions by so many allies to break with Washington have been seen as a sign of the growing financial clout of China, which has become the largest trading partner of many countries in the region. The new bank will confirm its founding members in April and aims to begin operating by the end of this year.
這么多盟友決定和華盛頓決裂被認(rèn)為是一個跡象,表明中國的經(jīng)濟(jì)影響力日漸增強(qiáng)。中國已經(jīng)成了該地區(qū)很多國家最大的貿(mào)易伙伴。新銀行將在4月確認(rèn)創(chuàng)始成員國,并打算在今年年底前開始運(yùn)行。
While there have been calls in Washington for the United States to join, the Obama administration is viewed as unlikely to reverse its opposition. Many American officials appear concerned that the new lender will undermine the World Bank and also the International Monetary Fund, two pillars of the global financial order established by the United States after World War II.
盡管華盛頓有要求美國加入的呼聲,但外界認(rèn)為奧巴馬政府不太可能轉(zhuǎn)變反對立場。很多美國官員似乎擔(dān)心,這家新的信貸機(jī)構(gòu)會削弱世界銀行和國際貨幣基金組織(International Monetary Fund)的地位。它們是美國在二戰(zhàn)后建立的全球金融秩序的兩大支柱。
Although China has become Japan’s top trading partner, Tokyo has compelling security-related reasons for siding with the United States. Foremost among these is an intensified confrontation with China over control of uninhabited islands in the East China Sea that are claimed by both nations.
盡管中國已經(jīng)成了日本最大的貿(mào)易伙伴,但東京站在美國一邊,有令人信服的安全方面的理由。其中最重要的便是圍繞東海無人居住島嶼的控制權(quán),日本與中國之間加劇的對抗。兩國均聲稱擁有相關(guān)島嶼的主權(quán)。
Eager to ensure that his nation has American backing in the standoff, Mr. Abe has tried to bind Japan more closely than ever to the United States, its postwar military protector. He is expected to emphasize Japan’s close friendship. and also its growing willingness to assume a larger military role in the region, when he visits the United States next month.
安倍晉三迫切希望確保自己領(lǐng)導(dǎo)的國家,能在這場對峙中得到美國的支持,于是試圖把日本同美國比以往更緊密地捆綁在一起。戰(zhàn)后,美國是日本在軍事上的保護(hù)國。下月訪問美國時,安倍晉三預(yù)計會強(qiáng)調(diào)日本的親密友誼,以及日本有更強(qiáng)的意愿在該地區(qū)承擔(dān)更大的軍事角色。
The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank will start with about $50 billion in capital and a mission to help Asia develop even more quickly by investing in roads, dams, communication networks and other such large-scale projects.
亞投行的啟動資本約為500億美元(約合3070億元人民幣),使命是通過投資公路、水壩、通信網(wǎng)絡(luò)和其他諸如此類的大規(guī)模項(xiàng)目,幫助亞洲更快地發(fā)展。