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世界最长铁路线开通 欧亚贸易古路升级

The longest rail link in the world is operational, after a train carrying goods from China arrived in the Spanish capital, Madrid, last month. The railway has been dubbed¹ the ‘21st-century Silk Road’ and is the latest landmark² investment by China aimed at improving the infrastructure³ along the old trading routes between east Asia and Europe. The European Union is China’s biggest trading partner, and Beijing’s money is being welcomed in Europe.

上个月，一列始发中国的货运列车抵达西班牙首都马德里，标志着世界最长的铁路线开通运营。这条被称为“二十一世纪丝绸之路”的铁路线是中国最新的标志性投资项目，其目的是要改善连接东亚和欧洲的古老贸易线路的基础设施。如今，中国最大的贸易伙伴欧盟正积极吸引来自中国的投资。

The diesel⁴ locomotive slowly pulled away from the Chinese coastal⁵ city of Yiwu - known as the world’s biggest marketplace - in November. Thirteen-thousand kilometers and three weeks later, the 40 containers arrived in the Spanish capital, Madrid, in time for Christmas - halving⁶ the time taken by ship. It is due to return laden⁷ with Spanish wine and produce in time for the Chinese New Year in February.

去年11月，一列载有40个集装箱消费品的货运列车从中国东部城市义乌出发，开始了总长1万3千公里的行程。这列货车三个星期后抵达马德里，仅用了海运时间的一半。回程列车将西班牙葡萄酒和农产品运到中国时，正好赶上二月中国春节前的年货市场。

Jonathan Fenby, author of the book "Will China Dominate the 21st Century?," says China wants to improve infrastructure to boost trade.

乔纳森?芬比是《中国将主宰二十一世界吗？》一书的作者。他说，中国希望改善基础设施，促进贸易。

“These things are developing and they are going to go on developing I think. There’s a rail link now from Chongqing in southwest China through Russia, which ends in Duisberg in Germany," said Fenby.

芬比说：“这些都是开发中的项目。我想他们还会继续开发。现在已经开通了一条从中国西南部城市重庆经由俄罗斯，通往德国杜伊斯堡的铁路线。”

Freight rail links now connect Germany and China five times a week, transporting everything from parts for BMW cars to Hewlett Packard computers. Fenby says Berlin is leading the field.

目前，每周有五列火车往返于德国和中国，装载着从宝马车零部件到惠普电脑等各种产品。

“All the other EU countries have been kind of overawed or impressed, by German success - both in exporting to China and in setting up big joint⁸ ventures. Companies like Siemens, the motor companies, chemical companies," he said.

China is investing heavily in European infrastructure. Premier⁹ Li Keqiang attended the opening of a $167 million, Chinese-built bridge over the River Danube in Serbia last month. His Serbian counterpart, Aleksandar Vucic, hailed the investment.

中国正在大力投资欧洲基础设施。上个月，中国总理李克强在塞尔维亚出席了中国投资兴建的一座耗资1.67亿美元的多瑙河大桥的开通仪式。塞尔维亚总理武契奇在仪式上赞扬了来自中国的投资。

"The first feat¹⁰ of Chinese builders in Europe and an eternal monument to Sino-Serbo friendship. We will achieve many of these projects with our Chinese friends. There will be new bridges and new paths to the future," said Vucic.

他说：“这是中国工程人员在欧洲完成的第一个壮举，也是塞中友谊的一座永恒的丰碑。我们还将和中国朋友一起完成许多这样的项目。未来还将建造新的桥梁和道路。”

Those plans include the construction of a $1.9 billion high speed rail link between Belgrade and Budapest in Hungary.

那些项目包括双方在开通仪式上签署的一个耗资19亿美元、连接贝尔格莱德和匈牙利布达佩斯的高速铁路项目。

China’s foreign minister, Wang Yi, said Monday the huge investments in overseas infrastructure are part of a new approach to global relations.

中国外长王毅说，大力投资是中国发展全球关系新策略的一部分。

"As of the end of 2014, China had established over 70 strategic and cooperative relationships, covering major countries and regions around the globe. "This means China is taking a new road of building partnerships¹¹ rather than setting up alliances, " said Yi.

他说：“到2014年年底，我们和70多个伙伴建立了战略或合作关系，基本涵盖了世界的主要国家和地区。这标志着我们正在走出一条结伴而非结盟的新路。”

China’s ‘Silk Road Dream’ dance troupe¹² has been performing across south Asia in recent months to highlight China’s vision of re-establishing the old trade routes. Beijing has pledged $40 billion to improve infrastructure.

几个月来，中国舞剧“碧海丝路”在南亚各国巡回演出。它体现了出中国重建古代贸易路线的愿景。

Jonathan Fenby says the foreign investment drive aims to strengthen Beijing’s presence on the world stage - but it is also partly enforced by falling domestic growth.

“A lot of structural¹³ weaknesses in China. Everything from the financial system to the environment. And we’re at a point now where I think the present Chinese leadership first of all is ready to accept slower growth. But also there is an awareness¹⁴ in China of the need to get to grips with all these big problems," he said.

With Europe facing economic stagnation¹⁵, the Chinese investment has been welcomed - and analysts¹⁶ note that European concerns over human rights and democracy in China take a back seat.

欧洲经济止步不前，中国投资受到欢迎。