VOA双语新闻 US, China Agree to Regular Senior-Level Talks（在线收听）

The United States and China have agreed in principle for the first time to hold regular, senior level talks on a range of political and economic issues. U.S. officials say the decision reflects China's growing global role, including its sponsorship of talks on North Korea's nuclear program.

美国和中国在原则上首次达成一致，两国将就政治和经济问题定期举行高级别会谈。美国官员表示，这一决定反映了中国不断提高的国际地位，包括主持北韩核项目会谈。

Officials here say the impetus for the new, more intensive, dialogue came from the Chinese and that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice conveyed the Bush administration's acceptance of the idea when she visited Beijing last month.

美国官方表示，中国主动提出与美国进行更加频繁的对话。美国国务卿赖斯上个月访问中国时传达了布什政府接受这个提议的想法。

At a news briefing, State Department Spokesman Richard Boucher said details of the structure and frequency of the U.S.-Chinese talks are still to be worked out, though they will be chaired on the U.S. side by Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick.

美国国务院发言人鲍彻在一次新闻简报会上说，美中会谈的具体结构和次数仍在磋商中。美国方面将由美国助理国务卿佐利克主持。

He said the two sides already have an active dialogue on economic issues but that the new structure will take into account China's growing political role in the region and globally as a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council.

鲍彻说，美中双方就经济问题举行过一次积极的对话，但是美中新对话将考虑中国作为联合国安理会常任理事国在亚太地区和世界范围不断提高的政治地位。

"It reflects the growing role that China has been playing in Asia, globally, at the United Nations as a U.N. Security Council member, on many, many world issues. And we have over the past several years, I think, been able to enhance our cooperation with China on many of these issues, whether it's North Korea, the fight against terrorism. We need to work with them in Sudan. All these things," Mr. Boucher says.

鲍彻说：“新对话反映了中国作为安理会常任理事国在亚洲以及全球在许多世界问题上不断增长的作用。过去几年，不管是北韩、还是反恐方面，我们都与中国在许多问题上加强了合作。我们需要在苏丹问题上以及所有国际事务中与中国合作。”

According to the Washington Post, Chinese President Hu Jintao proposed to President Bush in Chile last November that the two countries engage in what Chinese officials termed a "strategic dialogue."

据华盛顿邮报报道，中国国家主席胡锦涛去年十一月在智利向美国总统布什提议，中美双方进行“战略性对话”。

But under questioning here, Spokesman Boucher declined to use that formulation, normally reserved for talks with close U.S. allies, saying he would describe the new forum as "regular senior-level talks."

不过在这个问题上，鲍彻没有使用“战略性对话”。“战略性对话”一般是指与美国亲近的盟国对话时使用。他说，他把美中对话叫做“定期高级别会谈”。

U.S.-Chinese cooperation has increased since the September 2001 terrorist attacks, despite friction over trade issues and Taiwan. The United States has looked to China to prod North Korea to return to the six-party talks Beijing has hosted on that country's nuclear program.

自2001年11恐怖袭击以来，尽管中美双方在贸易和台湾问题上存在分歧，两国仍然加强了合作。美国希望中国促使北韩重返中国主持有关北韩核问题的六方会谈。

A top North Korea envoy visited Beijing earlier this week amid reports Pyongyang had agreed to return to the talks as early as mid-May, though Spokesman Boucher said no such word has been conveyed to Washington.

这个星期早些时候，一位北韩高级特使访问了北京，与此同时有报道说，平壤同意最早可能在5月中旬重返谈判桌。但是鲍彻说，美国没有收到这样的信息。

"While there have been some statements that indicate a commitment to the six-party process, we still do not have a clear commitment from the North Koreans to come back to talks or a date that they would come back to talks. So the Chinese continue to work these issues," Mr. Boucher says. "We're continuing to keep in touch with them and other parties."

鲍彻说：“虽然有些信息显示北韩可能重返六方会谈，但是我们仍然没有得到北韩重返谈判以及何时返回谈判的承诺。中国仍在这些问题上继续努力，我们也和中国以及其它谈判各方保持联系。”

Mr. Boucher reiterated the United States' readiness to return to the talks without preconditions. He said North Korea should similarly be open to serious discussions to resolve the issues of its nuclear program and to "end its international isolation."

鲍彻重申，美国准备无条件地返回谈判桌。鲍彻说，北韩也应该采取同样的态度进行严肃的讨论，以便解决其核项目问题，并且“结束在国际上的孤立局面”。

The six-party talks have been stalled since a session in Beijing in June of last year.

六方会谈自去年六月在北京举行最后一次谈判后陷入僵局。