美国国家公共电台 NPR--Biden says the U.S. would intervene to defend Taiwan if China staged an attack

Biden says the U.S. would intervene to defend Taiwan if China staged an attack

Transcript¹

President Biden reiterated² that the U.S. will defend Taiwan if China stages an "unprecedented³ attack." The White House has said the remarks do not represent a change in U.S. policy.

RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:

President Biden has once again said that the U.S. military would be called on to defend Taiwan in the event of an attack from China. In an interview with CBS's "60 Minutes," Biden gave the firmest commitment yet when asked if U.S. forces would defend the island.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "60 MINUTES")

PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: Yes, if, in fact, there was an unprecedented attack.

LEILA FADEL, HOST:

It's not the first time he's made a comment like this, but it takes on greater meaning as tensions between these two superpowers, China and the U.S., have heightened in recent months.

MARTIN: We've got NPR White House correspondent Franco Ordo?ez with us this morning.

Franco, what more did the president say to CBS?

FRANCO ORDO?EZ, BYLINE⁴: You know, Rachel, it was part of a lengthy⁵ interview that he gave to "60 Minutes" while he was at the Detroit Auto⁶ Show last week. I was actually on the trip. You know, they spoke⁷ about a number of topics, including inflation and U.S. support for Ukraine. But Biden made it clear that he saw things differently in regard to U.S. support for Taiwan than he did support for Ukraine, where, as we know, he's said repeatedly that U.S. forces would not fight Russian troops on Ukraine's soil. You know, here's more of his discussion with "60 Minutes" host Scott Pelley.

(SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "60 MINUTES")

SCOTT PELLEY: So unlike Ukraine, to be clear, sir, U.S. forces, U.S. men and women, would defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion.

BIDEN: Yes.

ORDO?EZ: You know, he was asked more than once about this, and he was pretty unequivocal.

MARTIN: But this has happened before, right? It's not the first time Biden said the U.S. military would come to Taiwan's defense⁸. And then every time he does it, the White House responds quickly, saying that this is not a reflection of a new policy. How is - how are White House staffers, I guess, responding to the president's remarks?

ORDO?EZ: Right. It has happened several times, and the White House told me the same last night - very quickly, I'll add - that policy toward Taiwan hasn't changed. Officially, U.S. policy maintains diplomatic relations with China rather than Taiwan, though there are, obviously, robust⁹ unofficial relations with Taiwan. You know, I will add that the Beijing government has responded. The Chinese foreign ministry¹⁰ said that China has lodged¹¹ a formal complaint with the United States and also warned Washington against sending the wrong signals to what Beijing calls Taiwan independence separatists.

MARTIN: I mean, in a relationship like this, Franco, a geopolitical relationship, every word matters, every message. Anything could be misinterpreted. What do you think is especially significant about what he said?

ORDO?EZ: Well, you know, for decades, the U.S. has officially maintained a, quote, "strategic ambiguity¹²" policy toward Taiwan, keeping up friendly relations with the island without those formal diplomatic relations. But comments like Biden's send really confusing signals, and, as we know, it keeps happening, stoking a lot of controversy¹³ and sharp responses from Beijing. It's also about the timing¹⁴. Tensions between the two nations are its highest in years. Beijing was angry and cut off some bilateral¹⁵ relations, including climate talks, after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's recent visit to the island. You know, it just is getting to a point where leaders have grown very worried about mistakes happening that could lead to things spiraling out of control.

MARTIN: NPR's Franco Ordo?ez. Thank you so much, Franco. We appreciate it.

ORDO?EZ: Thank you, Rachel.

(SOUNDBITE OF MARY LATTIMORE'S "SOMETIMES HE'S IN MY DREAMS")

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 reiterated   

反复地说，重申( reiterate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• "Well, I want to know about it,'she reiterated. “嗯，我一定要知道你的休假日期，"她重复说。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• Some twenty-two years later President Polk reiterated and elaborated upon these principles. 大约二十二年之后，波尔克总统重申这些原则并且刻意阐释一番。

3 unprecedented   

adj.无前例的，新奇的

参考例句：

• The air crash caused an unprecedented number of deaths.这次空难的死亡人数是空前的。
• A flood of this sort is really unprecedented.这样大的洪水真是十年九不遇。

4 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

5 lengthy   

adj.漫长的，冗长的

参考例句：

• We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。
• The professor wrote a lengthy book on Napoleon.教授写了一部有关拿破仑的巨著。

6 auto   

n.(=automobile)(口语)汽车

参考例句：

• Don't park your auto here.别把你的汽车停在这儿。
• The auto industry has brought many people to Detroit.汽车工业把许多人吸引到了底特律。

7 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

8 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

9 robust   

adj.强壮的，强健的，粗野的，需要体力的，浓的

参考例句：

• She is too tall and robust.她个子太高，身体太壮。
• China wants to keep growth robust to reduce poverty and avoid job losses,AP commented.美联社评论道，中国希望保持经济强势增长，以减少贫困和失业状况。

10 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

11 lodged   

v.存放( lodge的过去式和过去分词 )；暂住；埋入；（权利、权威等）归属

参考例句：

• The certificate will have to be lodged at the registry. 证书必须存放在登记处。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Our neighbours lodged a complaint against us with the police. 我们的邻居向警方控告我们。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 ambiguity   

n.模棱两可；意义不明确

参考例句：

• The telegram was misunderstood because of its ambiguity.由于电文意义不明确而造成了误解。
• Her answer was above all ambiguity.她的回答毫不含糊。

13 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

14 timing   

n.时间安排，时间选择

参考例句：

• The timing of the meeting is not convenient.会议的时间安排不合适。
• The timing of our statement is very opportune.我们发表声明选择的时机很恰当。

15 bilateral   

adj.双方的，两边的，两侧的

参考例句：

• They have been negotiating a bilateral trade deal.他们一直在商谈一项双边贸易协定。
• There was a wide gap between the views of the two statesmen on the bilateral cooperation.对双方合作的问题，两位政治家各自所持的看法差距甚大。