英字新聞

2011/01/22
--The Asahi Shimbun, Jan. 21
EDITORIAL: U.S.-China summit
米中首脳会談―次の３０年を見据えて歩め

While recognizing each other's differences as differences, U.S. President Barack Obama and his Chinese counterpart, Hu Jintao, showed their willingness to mend relations. The summit between the two leaders in Washington turned out as they planned.
　対立は対立として認めて、関係修復を演出する。双方の思惑どおりの首脳会談だった。

President Hu, who visited the United States as a state guest, received a red carpet welcome with a 21-gun salute that boomed across the White House lawn. Obama also invited Hu to dinner in the residential wing where he lives with his family.
　ホワイトハウスの庭に礼砲がとどろき、国賓として米国を訪問した中国の胡錦濤（フー・チンタオ）国家主席は、最大限の歓迎を受けた。オバマ大統領は家族と暮らす居住棟での夕食にも招いた。

"With this visit, we can lay the foundation for the next 30 years," Obama said as he welcomed Hu. Since Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping (1904-1997) visited the United States in 1979 when the two nations established diplomatic ties, they have built bilateral relations over the last 30-odd years.
　今回の訪米を、オバマ氏は「今後３０年間の基盤を作りうる」とたたえた。米中両国が国交樹立した１９７９年にトウ（トウは登におおざと）小平（トン・シアオピン）氏が訪米し、以後３０年余の関係を築いた。

Obama wants to follow that example. Hu also vowed to advance a positive, cooperative and comprehensive relationship.
その歴史に習おうというのだ。胡主席も「前向きで協調的、かつ包括的な関係を進める」と語った。

The joint statement that was released covers 41 items, including cooperation on space development and the Sudan peace process. However, we hear no calls about the advent of a G-2 framework with the United States and China at the helm as we did when Obama visited China in autumn 2009. During this time, U.S.-China relations were fraying.
　発表された共同声明は、宇宙開発の協力からスーダン和平まで４１項目にわたる。だが、オバマ大統領が０９年秋に訪中した際のような米中主導（Ｇ２）時代の到来を唱える声は聞こえてこない。この間の米中関係は、きしみばかりが目立った。

When the Obama administration first started, it advocated the establishment of strategic trust with China and expressed expectations for China to play a role as a responsible major power.
　オバマ政権は発足当初、中国との「戦略的信頼の確立」を掲げ、中国が「責任ある大国」としての役割を果たすことに期待を寄せた。

But China would not easily follow plans envisioned by the United States. On the problem of climate change, China stressed its position as "a developing country," causing U.S. enthusiasm to shrivel. When the Obama administration stuck to its policy to sell weapons to Taiwan, China took retaliatory measures.
　しかし、米国が思い描いた図式に、中国は簡単には乗らない。気候変動問題では「途上国の立場」に回り、米国の意気込みは空振りした。オバマ政権が台湾への武器売却の方針を維持したことには、報復措置をとった。

Also in the summit this time, no progress was made on such key issues as the revaluation of the Chinese yuan and human rights.
　今回の会談でも、人民元切り上げや人権問題は平行線のままだった。

Sticking to his government' basic stance, Hu said, "China and the United States should respect each other's choice of development path and each other's core interests."
胡主席は「お互いが選んだ発展の道筋と核心的利益を尊重すべきだ」と、原則的な姿勢を変えなかった。

Still, the joint statement expressed "concern" over North Korea's uranium enrichment program. Dialogue on human rights will also resume. Although it is a small step, we welcome it as a step forward.
　それでも、共同声明は北朝鮮のウラン濃縮計画に「懸念」を明記した。人権対話も再開される。小さい一歩だが、前進と評価したい。

There is a limit to cooperation among countries whose values and political systems differ.
　価値観や政治体制が異なる国が協調するのには、おのずから限界がある。

Perhaps it is natural for a rapidly advancing major power and one that has maintained its position as No. 1 for a long time to become rivals. At the same time, the two nations are rapidly becoming increasingly dependent on each other.
急速に台頭する大国と、長年ナンバーワンの大国が、ライバル関係になるのは当然かもしれない。同時に、両国は急速に相互依存を深めつつある。

Because the two countries have "a complex relationship," as Obama put it, with intricately diversified interests, the top leaders need to confirm common interests.
多様な利害が絡まり合う「複雑な関係」（オバマ氏）だから、トップ同士で共通の利益を確認しあう必要がある。

"China's peaceful rise is good for the world and it's good for America," Obama said.
　オバマ氏は「中国の平和的台頭は米国や世界にとって良いことだ」と述べた。

It was Hu who came up with the idea of "peaceful rise." However, China is advancing its military buildup with the construction of an aircraft carrier. Its intention is unclear. China should show its determination to follow the path of cooperation with action. To maintain growth, a peaceful environment is indispensable.
ここでいう「平和的台頭」路線を打ち出したのは胡主席である。だが、空母の建造など軍備増強を進める意図は不透明だ。協調路線を歩む決意を、中国は行動で示すべきだ。成長を維持するには、平和な環境が絶対条件ではないか。

If superpowers scramble for food and energy, global resources would become exhausted. There are many problems that cannot be effectively dealt with without U.S.-China cooperation, such as nuclear disarmament and global warming. We urge them to look to 30 years ahead and gather trust as superpowers in an age of globalization.
　超大国が食糧やエネルギーの争奪戦を繰り広げたのでは、地球の資源はもたない。核軍縮から温暖化対策まで、米中両国が協力しなければ対応できない課題は多い。３０年先を見据えて、グローバル時代の超大国として信頼を集める関係を築いてほしい。