奥巴马与中国青年对话(中英对照)
余年寄山水
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2020年08月02日 07:21
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关于孔子的歇后语-犊怎么读
A different kind of connection was made nearly 40 years ago when the frost between our countries began to thaw through the simple game of table tennis. The very unlikely nature of this engagement contributed to its success -- because for all our differences, both our common humanity and our shared curiosity were revealed. As one American player described his visit to China -- "[The]people are just like us…The country is very similar to America, but still very different."
近40年前，简单的乒乓球比赛带来了两国关系的解冻，使我们两国建立起另一种联系。这种接触令人意外，但却恰恰促成了其成功，因为尽管我们之间存在许多分歧，但是我们共同的人性和共同的好奇心得以从中显现。正如一位美国乒乓球队员在回忆对中国的访问时所说：“那里的人民和我们一样……这个国家和美国有许多相似之处，也有很大区别。”
Of course this small opening was followed by the achievement of the Shanghai Communique, and the eventual establishment of formal relations between the United States and China in 1979. And in three decades, just look at how far we have come.
无须赘言，这个小小的契机带来了《上海公报》的问世，并最终促使美中两国在1979年建立正式外交关系。请看在此后的30年，我们取得了多么长足的进展。
In 1979, trade between the United States and China stood at roughly $$5 billion -- today it tops over $$400 billion each year. The commerce affects our people's lives in so many ways. America imports from China many of the computer parts we use, the clothes we wear; and we export to China machinery that helps power your industry. This trade could create even more jobs on both sides of the Pacific, while allowing our people to enjoy a better quality of life. And as demand becomes more balanced, it can lead to even broader prosperity.
1979年，美中贸易额约为50亿美元，今天，年度贸易额已经超过4000亿美元。贸易在许多方面影响着两国人民的生活，美国电脑中的许多元件以及我们身穿的服装都是从中国进口的，我们向中国出口你们的工业需要的机器。这种贸易可以在太平洋两岸创造更多的就业机会，让我们的人民过上质量更高的生活。随着需求趋于平衡，繁荣的范围将进一步扩大。
In 1979, the political cooperation between the United States and China was rooted largely in our shared rivalry with the Soviet Union. Today, we have a positive, constructive and comprehensive relationship that opens the door to partnership on the key global issues of our time -- economic recovery and the development of clean energy; stopping the spread of nuclear weapons and the scourge of climate change; the promotion of peace and security in Asia and around the globe. All of these issues will be on the agenda tomorrow when I
meet with President Hu.
1979年，
美中之间的政治合作主要立足于双方共同面对的竞争对手苏联。如今我们享有积极的、建设性的、全面的关系，为我们在当今时代的关键性全球问题上建立伙伴关系打开了大门，这些问题包括：经济复苏和清洁能源开发、制止核武器扩散和气候变化的影响、在亚洲及全球各地促进和平与安全。所有这些问题都是我明天与胡主席会谈的内容。
And in 1979, the connections among our people were limited. Today, we see the curiosity of those ping-pong players manifested in the ties that are being forged across many sectors. The second highest number of foreign students in the United States come from China, and we've seen a 50 percent increase in the study of Chinese among our own students. There are nearly 200 "friendship cities" drawing our communities together. American and Chinese scientists cooperate on new research and discovery. And of course, Yao Ming is just one signal of our shared love of basketball -- I'm only sorry that I won't be able to see a Shanghai Sharks game while I'm visiting.
1979年，我们两国人民的联系十分有限。今天，我们看到当年乒乓球队员的好奇心已经化为许多领域的纽带，中国留学生在美国的人数名列第二，而在美国学生中，学中文的人数增加了50%。我们两国有近200个友好城市，把我们的社区连接在一起。美中科学家合作进行新的研究与发现。而姚明是我们两国人民都热爱篮球的仅仅一个标志而已——令我遗憾的是，此行中我不能观看上海大鲨鱼队的比赛。
It is no coincidence that the relationship between our countries has accompanied a period of positive change. China has lifted hundreds of millions of people out of poverty -- an accomplishment unparalleled in human history -- while playing a larger role in global events. And the United States has seen our economy grow along with the standard of living enjoyed by our people, while bringing the Cold War to a successful conclusion.
我们两国之间的关系相伴着一个积极变化的时期，这不是偶然的。中国实现了亿万人民脱贫，这一成就史无前例，同时，中国在全球问题中也在发挥更大的作用。美国在促使冷战顺利结束的同时，经济也取得了增长，人民的生活水平提高。
There is a Chinese proverb: "Consider the past, and you shall know the future." Surely, we have known setbacks and challenges over the last 30 years. Our relationship has not been without disagreement and difficulty. But the notion that we must be adversaries is not predestined -- not when we consider the past. Indeed, because of our cooperation, both the United States and China are more
prosperous and more secure. We have seen what is possible when we build upon
our mutual interests, and engage on the basis of mutual respect.
中国有句名言：“温故而知新。”
当然，过去30年中我们也曾遇到挫折和挑战，我们的关系不是没有分歧和困难。但是，“我们必然是对手”的概念并非是注定不变的——回顾过去不会是这样。由于我们的合作，美中两国都更加繁荣、更加安全。我们已经看到我们本着共同的利益和相互的尊重去努力所能取得的成果。
And yet the success of that engagement depends upon understanding -- on sustaining an open dialogue, and learning about one another and from one another. For just as that American table tennis player pointed out -- we share much in common as human beings, but our countries are different in certain ways.
可是，这种接触的成功取决于理解，取决于继续进行开诚布公的对话，相互了解，相互学习。正如前面提到的那位美国乒乓球队员所说——作为人，我们有着许多共同之处，但是我们两国在某些方面存在着差别。
I believe that each country must chart its own course. China is an ancient nation, with a deeply rooted culture. The United States, by comparison, is a young nation, whose culture is determined by the many different immigrants who have come to our shores, and by the founding documents that guide our democracy.
Those documents put forward a simple vision of human affairs, and they enshrine several core principles -- that all men and women are created equal, and possess certain fundamental rights; that government should reflect the will of the people and respond to their wishes; that commerce should be open, information
freely accessible; and that laws, and not simply men, should guarantee the administration of justice.
我认为每个国家都必须规划自己的前进方向。中国是一个文明古国，文化深远。而美国相对而言是一个年轻的国家，它的文化由来自许多不同国家的移民以及指导我国民主制度的建国纲领所形成。这些纲领中提出了对人类事务的简单明了的瞩望，并包含了一些核心原则——不论男女人人生而平等，都享有某些基本权利；政府应当反映民意，并对人民的愿望作出回应；商贸应该是开放的，信息应该自由流通；司法保障应该来自法治而不是人治。
Of course, the story of our nation is not without its difficult chapters. In many ways -- over many years -- we have struggled to advance the promise of these principles to all of our people, and to forge a more perfect union. We fought a very painful civil war, and freed a portion of our population from slavery. It took time for women to be extended the right to vote, workers to win the right to organize, and for immigrants from different corners of the globe to be fully embraced. Even after they were freed, African Americans persevered through conditions that were separate and not equal, before winning full and equal rights.
当然，我国的历史也并非没有困难的篇章。在
很多方面，在很长的时间里，我们要通过斗争去实现这些原则对全体人民的承诺，缔造一个更趋完善的联邦。我们曾打过一场很痛苦的南北战争，将我国的一部分人口从奴役下解放出来。妇女获得投票权、劳工赢得组织权、来自世界各地的移民得到完全的接纳——这些都是经过了一段时间才实现的。非洲裔美国人即使在获得自由后依然生活在被隔离和不平等的条件下，他们经过不懈努力才最终赢得全面、平等的权利。
None of this was easy. But we made progress because of our belief in those core principles, which have served as our compass through the darkest of storms. That is why Lincoln could stand up in the midst of civil war and declare it a struggle to see whether any nation, conceived in liberty, and "dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal" could long endure. That is why Dr. Martin Luther King could stand on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and ask that our nation live out the true meaning of its creed. That's why immigrants from China to Kenya could find a home on our shores; why opportunity is available to
all who would work for it; and why someone like me, who less than 50 years ago would have had trouble voting in some parts of America, is now able to serve as its President.
所有这些都不曾轻而易举。但是，由于我们对这些核心原则的坚定信念，我们取得了进步，这些原则指引我们冲过了最黑暗的风暴。这就是为什么林肯能在南北战争中挺身而出并宣布，这是一场考验一个孕育于自由之中、“忠实于人人生而平等这一原则”的国家能否永存的斗争。这也就是为什么马丁·路德·金博士能够站立在林肯纪念堂的台阶上，要求我们的国家实践自身信仰的真正含义。这也就是为什么来自从中国到肯尼亚的各国移民能够在我国的土地上安家；为什么所有努力寻求机会的人都能获得机会；为什么像我这种在不到50年前在美国的某些地方连投票都遇到困难的人，现在能够出任这个国家的总统。
And that is why America will always speak out for these core principles around the world. We do not seek to impose any system of government on any other nation, but we also don't believe that the principles that we stand for are unique to our nation. These freedoms of expression_r_r_r and worship -- of access to information and political participation -- we believe are universal rights. They should be available to all people, including ethnic and religious minorities -- whether they are in the United States, China, or any nation. Indeed, it is that respect for universal rights that guides America's openness to other countries; our respect for different cultures; our commitment to international law; and our faith in the future.
这就是为什么美国一直在全世界为这些核心原则而大