时政新闻学英语之51：国防部要求美国改善军事关系

本文选自Chinadaily，原文见US actions urged to fix military relations。

时政新闻学英语之51：国防部要求美国改善军事关系

The Ministry of National Defense said the United States is solely（单独地） to blame for the recent rise in tension（紧张局势） between the Chinese and US militaries, and demands "rational" and "sincere" actions from the US to work with China to improve military ties, a ministry spokesman said on Thursday.

Experts said the US administration is using China to rally（获取） voter support for the upcoming US midterm elections in November, and US pressure against China will likely continue for the foreseeable（可预见的） future.

On Sept 20, the US State Department imposed sanctions on（制裁） China's Equipment Development Department and its director for purchasing Russian Su-35 combat aircraft（战斗机） and the S-400 missile system.

In response, China immediately recalled Navy commander Vice-Admiral（海军副总司令） Shen Jinlong, who was in the US attending a symposium and planned to have exchanges with high-ranking US Navy officials, the ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

China also postponed（推迟） the second meeting planned as part of a communication mechanism for the joint staff departments of the two countries, set for this week in Beijing, the ministry added.

"China highly values Sino-US military exchanges across various levels, but we will not give in to threats," Senior Colonel Ren Guoqiang, a ministry spokesman, said in a regular media briefing（吹风会） on Thursday.

Ren added that cooperation with Russia on military hardware has not changed despite US sanctions.

"The US side is solely to blame for the recent damage in Sino-US military relations," he said. "We urge（敦促） the US to show sincere efforts to improve Sino-US military relations, and allow it to become a stabilizing factor in bilateral ties."

When asked whether the heightened（强化的，恶化的） tension could affect Defense Minister General Wei Fenghe's planned visit to the US later this year, Ren said the US should show "rational and mature attitudes in generating positive conditions for exchanges and cooperation".

Ren's remarks came amid heightened tensions between China and the US over trade and security issues.

On Tuesday, the Defense Ministry strongly opposed US sales of $330 million in military components（零部件） to Taiwan, saying it interfered with China's domestic affairs and undermined Chinese sovereignty and Sino-US relations.

The US Air Force also conducted two B-52 bomber flights（轰炸机飞行） this week, one over the South China Sea and the other over the East China Sea, the Pentagon said on Wednesday.

On Sept 20, the US leader unveiled his National Cyber Strategy, which labeled China a cybersecurity threat. US Director of National Intelligence Daniel Coats warned on Tuesday during a cybersecurity conference that China is seeking to influence US policies and carry out propaganda efforts in the cyber domain.

Ren said the accusations against China are baseless（毫无依旧） and full of Cold War mentality. China resolutely opposes them.

"China has always advocated the peaceful use of cyber technologies and opposed cyber warfare and a cyber arms race," Ren said. "However, the US is groundlessly accusing other nations while boosting its own cyber force. This is a double standard."

Teng Jianqun, director of the China Institute of International Studies' Department for US Studies, said: "Sino-US military relations may not be deteriorating（恶化） despite recent US actions, but it is certainly entering an age of growing competition.

"In the short run, the US administration is pressuring（给中国施压） China to rally voter support for the upcoming midterm elections," he said. "However, in the long run, these measures are to ensure the US gets an edge over（获得优势） China as the two large nations compete."

---