VOA标准英语2009年-Obama Prepares for Asian Journey

By Paula Wolfson
Washington
09 November 2009

 
President Obama, speaking at the White House, 6 Nov 2009
U.S. President Obama heads to East Asia this week for his first trans-Pacific trip in office.

Asians are waiting to take the measure of Barack Obama. The president got a rock star welcome earlier this year when he went to Europe and Africa. But in Asia, he faces lingering questions about his true intentions.

"I think people are interested in hearing more about his overall policy vision," says Nicholas Szecheney. He is a specialist in Asian affairs at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.

"Overall, you are going to see a combination of great interest, warm welcome, but also a series of questions because there is a lot of curiosity still about which direction President Obama would like to head on key policy issues," Szecheney adds.

Topping the list of issues is trade. President Obama often talks about exports as an important element of economic growth. But he offers few specifics.

Trade is a main component¹ of U.S. relations with Japan - the president's first stop in Asia. So too is the future of military relations between the two allies. The new prime minister of Japan - Yukio Hatoyama - patterned his campaign for office on Mr. Obama's successful theme of change. But while there are similarities in political style, there are differences on U.S. basing rights and other issues.

 
Ken³ Lieberthal
Ken Lieberthal is an Asia scholar with the Brookings Institution in Washington. "There is a lot of sorting out to do," he says, "And I think that is what will dominate those discussions."

Lieberthal was a top Asia advisor⁴ to former President Bill Clinton. He says the most important stop on the president's trip may be the one that - on the surface - makes the least news: the Asia-Pacific Economic forum⁵ in Singapore.

"I staffed that meeting for President Clinton during his second term in office when I worked at the White House and it was a remarkable⁶ gathering⁷ in that it really allows a lot of face time for these individuals both bilaterally⁸ and in various groupings," Lieberthal said.

APEC is not a decision-making body. But it does provide something perhaps more important - an opportunity for Pacific rim² leaders to consult over the course of days without staff, and in a very personal way.

"I suspect President Obama is the kind of leader who can take advantage of that very effectively," Lieberthal says, "He relates to others easily and he is a bridge builder…..and he is going to get an earful of the kind of regional perspectives that will be very useful to him."

In China, the president's schedule will be more public, with stops in both Beijing and Shanghai, the Chinese financial capital.

The issues there are likely to be a mix of economic and strategic concerns - from the global economic recession, to climate change, to non-proliferation.

 
Douglas Spelman
But long time China observers, like Douglas Spelman of the Woodrow Wilson Center, see another reason for the visit. "One of the primary purposes is for him to go to China - just to be there and physically⁹ see the place," he said.

He offers some advice to the president: be realistic…and be honest. "Be genuine in desiring cooperation, which I think he is, and be honest about the differences we have," Spelman states.

In a way, going to Asia - to Japan, Singapore, China and finally South Korea - is a bit of a homecoming for President Obama.

 
Nicholas Szechenyi
He spent part of his childhood in Indonesia, and his ties to the region are personal. Nicholas Szechenyi says the president is likely to refer to his biography during this trip, much as he did earlier this year in Africa. "I think people will really connect with that," Szechenyi says, "And I would expect the president to use his personal biography to demonstrate a commitment to the region."

The president will not visit Indonesia during this trip, but plans to return to Asia and Jakarta next year.

1 component   

n.组成部分，成分，元件；adj.组成的，合成的

参考例句：

• Each component is carefully checked before assembly.每个零件在装配前都经过仔细检查。
• Blade and handle are the component parts of a knife.刀身和刀柄是一把刀的组成部分。

2 rim   

n.(圆物的)边，轮缘；边界

参考例句：

• The water was even with the rim of the basin.盆里的水与盆边平齐了。
• She looked at him over the rim of her glass.她的目光越过玻璃杯的边沿看着他。

3 ken   

n.视野，知识领域

参考例句：

• Such things are beyond my ken.我可不懂这些事。
• Abstract words are beyond the ken of children.抽象的言辞超出小孩所理解的范围.

4 advisor   

n.顾问，指导老师，劝告者

参考例句：

• They employed me as an advisor.他们聘请我当顾问。
• The professor is engaged as a technical advisor.这位教授被聘请为技术顾问。

5 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

6 remarkable   

adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的

参考例句：

• She has made remarkable headway in her writing skills.她在写作技巧方面有了长足进步。
• These cars are remarkable for the quietness of their engines.这些汽车因发动机没有噪音而不同凡响。

7 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

8 bilaterally   

[医]adv.两侧，双向地

参考例句：

• The data in the Performance Test shall be Bilaterally recorded and confirmed. 在生产线考核期间的数据应由双方共同记录并确认。
• Anatomic constraints may preclude the insertion a transarticular screw unilaterally or bilaterally. 解剖制约可能妨碍单边或双边插入关节螺钉。

9 physically   

adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律

参考例句：

• He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服，心绪也很乱。
• Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。