美国国家公共电台 NPR U.S. Fast-Tracks Missile Defense System To South Korea, Drawing China's Ire

 

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

North Korea's missile tests and the United States' response have stirred debate among North Korea's neighbors. The latest missile shots into the sea were seen as a provocation¹. And a day later, the United States said it had started deploying² new missile defenses. Sounds good, right? Well, the U.S. move is of intense interest in South Korea, where we find NPR's Elise Hu, and an annoyance⁴ in China, which is where we find NPR's Rob Schmitz.

Hi, guys.

ELISE HU, BYLINE⁵: Good morning.

ROB SCHMITZ, BYLINE: Good morning.

INSKEEP: So, Elise, what does this system do for a U.S. ally like South Korea?

HU: Yeah, it's called THAAD, which is an acronym⁶ for a missile defense³ system designed to shoot down both short- and intermediate-range missiles midair, kind of like shooting a bullet with a bullet.

Now, the U.S. argues that it's purely⁷ defensive⁸ and - that given North Korea's growing missile program, that THAAD belongs in South Korea. It has always - supposed to be operational before the end of this year.

INSKEEP: OK, well, nobody wants to get hit with a North Korean missile, Rob Schmitz. So why does China care?

SCHMITZ: Well, what the Chinese are worried about is THAAD's radar⁹ system. It's a sophisticated radar that could be used to track China's own missile systems hundreds of miles away inside of China. So for China, that's a problem. It doesn't want the U.S. military to know where Chinese missiles are located because it would give the U.S. a major advantage in the event of a conflict with China.

The Chinese are also concerned about THAAD because they believe it wouldn't be very useful against a North Korean strike anyway because it doesn't have the capability¹⁰ to take out North Korea's short-range missiles and artillery¹¹ that cannot reach high altitude.

So the Chinese are questioning the real reason for THAAD. They're hinting that it will actually be used to track China's missile systems and help contain China.

INSKEEP: Oh, and there's always been debate about just how effective missile defenses are. So China's worried about information that might be gathered here. But what can China do?

SCHMITZ: Well, China's first retaliatory¹² strike has been economic. The THAAD system was deployed¹³ on a golf course in South Korea owned by the Lotte conglomerate¹⁴. And when word got out, China's government shut down 23 of Lotte's 115 stores in China, saying all of them were suddenly in violation¹⁵ of fire codes.

INSKEEP: (Laughter).

SCHMITZ: So today we heard news that...

INSKEEP: I'm still hung up on the idea of, like, trying to hit my seven iron bended around this missile that's sitting there on the golf course...

SCHMITZ: (Laughter).

INSKEEP: ...Like a new obstacle. Go on, Rob. Go on. Go on.

SCHMITZ: And so today, there was some more news. Authorities here in Shanghai have shut down a chocolate factory that's a joint¹⁶ venture between Lotte and Hershey, the first American company that's gotten pulled into this. Chinese travel agencies have stopped selling tickets to South Korea. There's been calls to boycott¹⁷ South Korean products, and even K-pop music. So, you know, some of this sounds a little silly, but China is South Korea's largest trading partner. And this threatens to do some damage.

INSKEEP: OK, so it's now harder to hear "Gangnam Style" in China. I get that.

SCHMITZ: (Laughter).

INSKEEP: But, Elise Hu, what does South Korea think about all this?

HU: Well, they are understandably anxious about all of this. This has caused widespread condemnation¹⁸. And policymakers aren't really sure what to do next. Some have called for Korea to file a complaint with the World Trade Organization. Others are calling for more restraint. But honestly, how all this plays out for trade between Korea and China is an open question right now, Steve.

INSKEEP: OK, just to review, we've got this missile defense system on a golf course. It's owned by a company that's now being penalized¹⁹ inside China. People in South Korea are upset. It's a huge deal. And, Elise, in the middle of this, isn't South Korea about to change presidents possibly?

HU: That's right. So the current president has already been impeached²⁰ by lawmakers. She finds out whether she's officially removed tomorrow. So despite an original timeline of deploying THAAD sometime this year, the U.S. abruptly²¹ announced this week that it already started deploying the THAAD system just days ago. So now it's saying that this THAAD system could be operational by April, several months sooner than expected.

And so there's a case to be made that the deployment²² is actually being fast-tracked ahead of a new Korean administration. And if that administration is more liberal, it's likely to be opposed to or skeptical²³ about THAAD. But of course, you can also make the case that this effort's going faster than expected because North Korea has certainly stepped up its missile tests in recent weeks.

INSKEEP: OK, thanks very much. That's NPR's Elise Hu in Seoul. Thanks very much.

HU: You bet.

INSKEEP: And we also heard from NPR's Rob Schmitz. He's in Shanghai. Thanks, Rob.

SCHMITZ: You're welcome.

1 provocation   

n.激怒，刺激，挑拨，挑衅的事物，激怒的原因

参考例句：

• He's got a fiery temper and flares up at the slightest provocation.他是火爆性子，一点就着。
• They did not react to this provocation.他们对这一挑衅未作反应。

2 deploying   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的现在分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Provides support for developing and deploying distributed, component-based applications. 为开发和部署基于组件的分布式应用程序提供支持。
• Advertisement, publishing, repair, and install-on-demand are all available when deploying your application. 在部署应用程序时提供公布、发布、修复和即需即装功能。

3 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。

4 annoyance   

n.恼怒，生气，烦恼

参考例句：

• Why do you always take your annoyance out on me?为什么你不高兴时总是对我出气？
• I felt annoyance at being teased.我恼恨别人取笑我。

5 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。

6 acronym   

n.首字母简略词，简称

参考例句：

• That's a mouthful of an acronym for a very simple technology.对于一项非常简单的技术来说，这是一个很绕口的缩写词。
• TSDF is an acronym for Treatment, Storage and Disposal Facilities.TSDF是处理，储存和处置设施的一个缩写。

7 purely   

adv.纯粹地，完全地

参考例句：

• I helped him purely and simply out of friendship.我帮他纯粹是出于友情。
• This disproves the theory that children are purely imitative.这证明认为儿童只会单纯地模仿的理论是站不住脚的。

8 defensive   

adj.防御的；防卫的；防守的

参考例句：

• Their questions about the money put her on the defensive.他们问到钱的问题，使她警觉起来。
• The Government hastily organized defensive measures against the raids.政府急忙布置了防卫措施抵御空袭。

9 radar   

n.雷达，无线电探测器

参考例句：

• They are following the flight of an aircraft by radar.他们正在用雷达追踪一架飞机的飞行。
• Enemy ships were detected on the radar.敌舰的影像已显现在雷达上。

10 capability   

n.能力；才能；(pl)可发展的能力或特性等

参考例句：

• She has the capability to become a very fine actress.她有潜力成为杰出演员。
• Organizing a whole department is beyond his capability.组织整个部门是他能力以外的事。

11 artillery   

n.(军)火炮，大炮；炮兵(部队)

参考例句：

• This is a heavy artillery piece.这是一门重炮。
• The artillery has more firepower than the infantry.炮兵火力比步兵大。

12 retaliatory   

adj.报复的

参考例句：

• The process can take years before the WTO approves retaliatory action. 在WTO通过此行动之前，这个程序恐怕要等上一阵子了。 来自互联网
• Retaliatory tariffs on China are tantamount to taxing ourselves as a punishment. 将惩罚性关税强加于中国相当于对我们自己实施课税惩罚。 来自互联网

13 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

14 conglomerate   

n.综合商社，多元化集团公司

参考例句：

• The firm has been taken over by an American conglomerate.该公司已被美国一企业集团接管。
• An American conglomerate holds a major share in the company.一家美国的大联合企业持有该公司的大部分股份。

15 violation   

n.违反(行为)，违背(行为)，侵犯

参考例句：

• He roared that was a violation of the rules.他大声说，那是违反规则的。
• He was fined 200 dollars for violation of traffic regulation.他因违反交通规则被罚款200美元。

16 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

17 boycott   

n./v.(联合)抵制，拒绝参与

参考例句：

• We put the production under a boycott.我们联合抵制该商品。
• The boycott lasts a year until the Victoria board permitsreturn.这个抗争持续了一年直到维多利亚教育局妥协为止。

18 condemnation   

n.谴责; 定罪

参考例句：

• There was widespread condemnation of the invasion. 那次侵略遭到了人们普遍的谴责。
• The jury's condemnation was a shock to the suspect. 陪审团宣告有罪使嫌疑犯大为震惊。

19 penalized   

对…予以惩罚( penalize的过去式和过去分词 )； 使处于不利地位

参考例句：

• You will be penalized for poor spelling. 你拼写不好将会受到处罚。
• Team members will be penalized for lateness. 队员迟到要受处罚。

20 impeached   

v.控告（某人）犯罪( impeach的过去式和过去分词 )；弹劾；对（某事物）怀疑；提出异议

参考例句：

• Elected officials can be impeached. 经过选举产生的官员可以被弹劾。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The judge was impeached for taking a bribe. 这个法官被检举接受贿赂。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

21 abruptly   

adv.突然地，出其不意地

参考例句：

• He gestured abruptly for Virginia to get in the car.他粗鲁地示意弗吉尼亚上车。
• I was abruptly notified that a half-hour speech was expected of me.我突然被通知要讲半个小时的话。

22 deployment   

n. 部署,展开

参考例句：

• He has inquired out the deployment of the enemy troops. 他已查出敌军的兵力部署情况。
• Quality function deployment (QFD) is a widely used customer-driven quality, design and manufacturing management tool. 质量功能展开(quality function deployment,QFD)是一个广泛应用的顾客需求驱动的设计、制造和质量管理工具。

23 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。