亞投行延長成員國加入期限

The China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank has given five of its members — including two of the largest — an extra 12 months to complete the formal joining process after they missed the December 31 deadline.

中國牽頭的亞洲基礎(chǔ)設(shè)施投資銀行(Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank，簡稱亞投行)給予5個成員國——包括2個大型成員國——額外的12個月時間來完成正式加入流程，此前它們錯過了2016年12月31日的最后期限。

Brazil and South Africa were among the highest-profile countries to sign up to the multilateral lender, which was established by Beijing to make its mark in international finance and was opposed in its infancy by the US. Of the bank’s 57 inaugural members, Brazil was the only South American country while South Africa was one of only two in Africa.

巴西和南非當初躋身于最高調(diào)地簽署加入這個多邊貸款機構(gòu)的國家之列。中國成立亞投行是為了在國際金融領(lǐng)域留下自己的印記，該行在創(chuàng)立初期遭到美國的反對。在該行的57個創(chuàng)始成員國中，巴西是唯一的南美國家，而南非是僅有的兩個非洲國家之一。

Both are also members of the so-called Brics club alongside Russia, India and China, which recently joined forces to form the Shanghai-based New Development Bank.

這兩國也與俄羅斯、印度和中國并稱金磚國家，這幾個國家共同成立了總部位于上海的新開發(fā)銀行(New Development Bank)。

“AIIB matters are currently being processed,” a South African finance official told the Financial Times. “Our immediate focus has been on the New Development Bank.”

“亞投行事務目前正在處理，”一名南非金融官員告訴英國《金融時報》，“我們眼下的重點是新開發(fā)銀行。”

Brazilian officials declined to comment on why they missed the deadline, which was stipulated in the AIIB’s articles of association.

巴西官員拒絕就為何錯過亞投行章程中規(guī)定的最后期限置評。

Members can receive an extension if approved by a majority of the bank’s governors.

如果得到亞投行多數(shù)理事的批準，成員國可以獲得延期。

Under former president Dilma Rousseff, Brazil fell behind on payments to dozens of international organisations, blaming a lack of funds. Ms Rousseff’s impeachment last August may have led to further delays.

在前總統(tǒng)迪爾瑪•羅塞夫(Dilma Rousseff)治下，巴西以缺乏資金為由，拖欠其應向幾十個國際機構(gòu)支付的款項。羅塞夫去年8月遭到彈劾，可能導致了進一步的拖延。

“We extended the deadline because some members needed more time based on the different domestic processes they had to ratify,” an AIIB spokesperson said, adding that “everything is on track” for them to join by the end of this year.

“我們延長了截至日期，因為一些成員國需要更多時間，取決于它們國內(nèi)的批準流程，”一名亞投行發(fā)言人說，并補充稱，“一切都在正軌上”，這些國家可以在今年底前加入亞投行。

The three other inaugural AIIB members to have missed the deadline were Malaysia, Kuwait and Spain. Malaysian and Spanish officials said they would be formally admitted by the end of 2017. Kuwaiti officials could not be reached for comment.

另外3個錯過最后期限的亞投行創(chuàng)始成員國是馬來西亞、科威特和西班牙。馬來西亞和西班牙官員表示它們將在2017年底前正式加入。記者無法聯(lián)系到科威特官員對此置評。

Last week the AIIB approved 13 new applicants including two additional countries from South America and two from Africa.

上周亞投行批準了13個新申請加入的國家，包括另外2個南美國家和另外2個非洲國家。

Additional reporting by David Pilling, Joe Leahy, Tobias Buck and Jeevan Vasagar

戴維•皮林、李若瑟、托拜厄斯•巴克和吉萬•瓦薩加爾補充報道