文章注释
Chinese activity on disputed islands raises doubt over halt claim
Satellite images of new Chinese activity on disputed islands in the South China Sea have raised questions over China’s assertion that it has halted its land reclamation efforts, and threatened hopes for a smooth summit between Xi Jinping and Barack Obama in Washington next week.
卫星图像显示，中国在南中国海有争议岛礁上展开了新的活动，这让外界对中国宣称已停止填海造岛的说法产生了怀疑，也给习近平与巴拉克?奥巴马(Barack Obama)下周在华盛顿顺利举行峰会的前景投下了阴影。
The photos, cited in a report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, reveal Beijing is building two airstrips in the Spratly Islands in addition to one, on Fiery Cross Reef, in an advanced state of construction.
位于华盛顿的战略与国际研究中心(Center for Strategic and International Studies)在一份报告中援引的卫星图像显示，中方正在斯普拉特利群岛（Spratly Islands，中国称南沙群岛——译者注）建设两条飞机跑道，而中方在永暑礁(Fiery Cross Reef)建设的一条飞机跑道已经接近完工。
In a statement this week, China’s foreign affairs ministry did not deny the activity on Subi and Mischief reefs, saying it was “completely lawful, reasonable and justified” given Beijing’s “indisputable sovereignty” over the Spratlys, which it refers to as the Nansha islands.
中国外交部在本周的声明中并未否认在渚碧礁(Subi)和美济礁(Mischief)上的活动，并表示，中国对南沙群岛及其附近海域拥有“无可争辩的主权”，中方在南沙群岛部分驻守岛礁的建设活动“完全合法、合理、合情”。
The building of runways and other facilities in the South China Sea would not alone contradict assertions by Wang Yi, foreign minister, in early August that reclamation work on the islands had been completed. Chinese officials have said their focus is now on building infrastructure on the reefs and islets, much of it for peaceful civilian purposes such as search-and-rescue operations or fisheries management.
在南中国海岛礁建设飞机跑道和其他设施与中国外长王毅今年8月初的说法相悖——当时王毅表示，中国已经停止了在南海的填海造岛工程。中国官员还表示，他们现在的重点是在岛礁上建设基础设施，这些设施主要将用于和平的民用目的，比如搜救行动或者渔业管理。
However, CSIS also highlighted evidence of continuing dredging activity on Subi and Mischief as recently as September 8, which would appear to contradict Mr Wang’s statement and raise a potential flashpoint when the Chinese and US presidents meet on September
25.
但战略与国际研究中心强调，有证据表明9月8日中国还在渚碧礁和美济礁上继续吹沙活动，这似乎与王毅的说法相悖，并有可能成为两国元首9月25日会晤时的一个争执话题。
Both sides have been working hard over recent months to iron out disagreements in sensitive areas such as cyber security ahead of next week’s visit.
最近几个月里，两国一直努力在习近平下周访美前消除双方在网络安全等敏感领域的分歧。
While the two presidents concluded a bilateral meeting last year in Beijing with substantial agreements on the environment and military communication protocols, low-hanging fruit will be harder to find this time round.
两国元首去年在北京举行了双边会晤，会晤后两国在环境和军事交流领域签署了重大协议，但这次双方将更难找到“低垂的果实”。
“Both sides are pretty nervous about this event,” said one person familiar with the preparations. “They have to tone down expectations.”
一名了解此次会晤筹备工作的人士表示：“双方都对这一事态感到相当紧张。他们不得不淡化期望。”
Yanmei Xie, senior China analyst for International Crisis Group, said: “Nobody knows exactly what the nature of the [dredging] activity is.”
国际危机组织(International Crisis Group)中国问题高级分析师谢艳梅表示：“没有人确切地知道这些（吹沙）活动的性质是什么。”
“The Chinese side was trying to make a symbolic suspension to mollify the Americans ahead of Xi Jinping’s visit.”
“中方曾试图在习近平访美前象征性地暂停作业，以安抚一下美国人。”
According to Ms Xie, Chinese officials and analysts have argued privately that the latest landfill activity is aimed at “shoring up” the islands’ existing footprints, rather than enlarging them.
按照谢艳梅的说法，中国官员和分析人士私下里认为，最新活动的目的是“巩固”这些岛礁现有的基础，而不是扩大它们。
That may be too fine a distinction for US officials to appreciate, as is Beijing’s insistence that airfields and other infrastructure on the islands are being built primarily to facilitate peaceful civilian purposes.
美国官员可能很难领会其中的细微差别，他们同样难以理解的是，北京方面坚称，在建的飞机跑道和其他基础设施主要将用于和平的民用用途。
“The land reclamation has finished and the next step is building infrastructure,” said Kang Lin at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies on Hainan island. “But it’s impossible to say certain infrastructure would only be for civilian use?.?.?.?The new airstrips are long enough to be used by the military.”
位于海南岛的中国南海研究院(National Institute for South China Sea Studies)的康霖表示：“填海造岛已经完成，下一步是建设基础设施。但不可能说某种基础设施只会用于民用……新的飞机跑道很长，足够用于军事用途。”
Ms Xie said: “The Chinese side very much wants to emphasise co-operation, highlight shared interests and downplay differences with the US. But I don’t think the Americans are ready to buy that narrative. [Mr Xi’s visit] gives them an opportunity to take issues directly to the Chinese president and get his attention.”
谢艳梅表示：“中方非常希望强调合作、强调共同利益并淡化中美分歧。但我不认为美国人会买账。（习近平访美）让他们有机会直接向中国国家主席提出问题并引起他的注意。”
Additional reporting by Wan Li 万丽补充报道
中国在南中国海建设新飞机跑道 Chinese activity on disputed islan
Chinese activity on disputed islands raises doubt over halt claim
Satellite images of new Chinese activity on disputed islands in the South China Sea have raised questions over China’s assertion that it has halted its land reclamation efforts, and threatened hopes for a smooth summit between Xi Jinping and Barack Obama in Washington next week.
卫星图像显示，中国在南中国海有争议岛礁上展开了新的活动，这让外界对中国宣称已停止填海造岛的说法产生了怀疑，也给习近平与巴拉克?奥巴马(Barack Obama)下周在华盛顿顺利举行峰会的前景投下了阴影。
The photos, cited in a report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, reveal Beijing is building two airstrips in the Spratly Islands in addition to one, on Fiery Cross Reef, in an advanced state of construction.
位于华盛顿的战略与国际研究中心(Center for Strategic and International Studies)在一份报告中援引的卫星图像显示，中方正在斯普拉特利群岛（Spratly Islands，中国称南沙群岛——译者注）建设两条飞机跑道，而中方在永暑礁(Fiery Cross Reef)建设的一条飞机跑道已经接近完工。
In a statement this week, China’s foreign affairs ministry did not deny the activity on Subi and Mischief reefs, saying it was “completely lawful, reasonable and justified” given Beijing’s “indisputable sovereignty” over the Spratlys, which it refers to as the Nansha islands.
中国外交部在本周的声明中并未否认在渚碧礁(Subi)和美济礁(Mischief)上的活动，并表示，中国对南沙群岛及其附近海域拥有“无可争辩的主权”，中方在南沙群岛部分驻守岛礁的建设活动“完全合法、合理、合情”。
The building of runways and other facilities in the South China Sea would not alone contradict assertions by Wang Yi, foreign minister, in early August that reclamation work on the islands had been completed. Chinese officials have said their focus is now on building infrastructure on the reefs and islets, much of it for peaceful civilian purposes such as search-and-rescue operations or fisheries management.
在南中国海岛礁建设飞机跑道和其他设施与中国外长王毅今年8月初的说法相悖——当时王毅表示，中国已经停止了在南海的填海造岛工程。中国官员还表示，他们现在的重点是在岛礁上建设基础设施，这些设施主要将用于和平的民用目的，比如搜救行动或者渔业管理。
However, CSIS also highlighted evidence of continuing dredging activity on Subi and Mischief as recently as September 8, which would appear to contradict Mr Wang’s statement and raise a potential flashpoint when the Chinese and US presidents meet on September
25.
但战略与国际研究中心强调，有证据表明9月8日中国还在渚碧礁和美济礁上继续吹沙活动，这似乎与王毅的说法相悖，并有可能成为两国元首9月25日会晤时的一个争执话题。
Both sides have been working hard over recent months to iron out disagreements in sensitive areas such as cyber security ahead of next week’s visit.
最近几个月里，两国一直努力在习近平下周访美前消除双方在网络安全等敏感领域的分歧。
While the two presidents concluded a bilateral meeting last year in Beijing with substantial agreements on the environment and military communication protocols, low-hanging fruit will be harder to find this time round.
两国元首去年在北京举行了双边会晤，会晤后两国在环境和军事交流领域签署了重大协议，但这次双方将更难找到“低垂的果实”。
“Both sides are pretty nervous about this event,” said one person familiar with the preparations. “They have to tone down expectations.”
一名了解此次会晤筹备工作的人士表示：“双方都对这一事态感到相当紧张。他们不得不淡化期望。”
Yanmei Xie, senior China analyst for International Crisis Group, said: “Nobody knows exactly what the nature of the [dredging] activity is.”
国际危机组织(International Crisis Group)中国问题高级分析师谢艳梅表示：“没有人确切地知道这些（吹沙）活动的性质是什么。”
“The Chinese side was trying to make a symbolic suspension to mollify the Americans ahead of Xi Jinping’s visit.”
“中方曾试图在习近平访美前象征性地暂停作业，以安抚一下美国人。”
According to Ms Xie, Chinese officials and analysts have argued privately that the latest landfill activity is aimed at “shoring up” the islands’ existing footprints, rather than enlarging them.
按照谢艳梅的说法，中国官员和分析人士私下里认为，最新活动的目的是“巩固”这些岛礁现有的基础，而不是扩大它们。
That may be too fine a distinction for US officials to appreciate, as is Beijing’s insistence that airfields and other infrastructure on the islands are being built primarily to facilitate peaceful civilian purposes.
美国官员可能很难领会其中的细微差别，他们同样难以理解的是，北京方面坚称，在建的飞机跑道和其他基础设施主要将用于和平的民用用途。
“The land reclamation has finished and the next step is building infrastructure,” said Kang Lin at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies on Hainan island. “But it’s impossible to say certain infrastructure would only be for civilian use?.?.?.?The new airstrips are long enough to be used by the military.”
位于海南岛的中国南海研究院(National Institute for South China Sea Studies)的康霖表示：“填海造岛已经完成，下一步是建设基础设施。但不可能说某种基础设施只会用于民用……新的飞机跑道很长，足够用于军事用途。”
Ms Xie said: “The Chinese side very much wants to emphasise co-operation, highlight shared interests and downplay differences with the US. But I don’t think the Americans are ready to buy that narrative. [Mr Xi’s visit] gives them an opportunity to take issues directly to the Chinese president and get his attention.”
谢艳梅表示：“中方非常希望强调合作、强调共同利益并淡化中美分歧。但我不认为美国人会买账。（习近平访美）让他们有机会直接向中国国家主席提出问题并引起他的注意。”
Additional reporting by Wan Li 万丽补充报道
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