VOA慢速英语2013 拜登:与中国的冲突并非不可避免

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AS IT IS 2013-12-09 U.S. VP Says Conflict With China Can Be Avoided 拜登:与中国的冲突并非不可避免

 Hello again, and welcome back to As It Is. I’m Kelly Jean Kelly.

Vice¹ President Joe Biden has been in Asia this week.  The U.S. government hoped the vice president’s visit would help expand trade in the area.  But another issue got  in the way -- China’s claim to an expanded air defense² identification zone.  In a surprise announcement last month, China said it was extending the zone to include  the skies over Chinese territories in the East China Sea.  The zone also now includes international waters, as well as territories that Japan and South Korea say  belong to them.  And China’s zone shares areas with air defense zones that Japan and South Korea have already created.    China says foreign countries must now  present a flight plan before their planes enter its newly-claimed air defense zone.  China says it has the right to deny entry into the airspace.

Several countries have ignored China’s demand already.  The United States and Japan have flown planes into the zone without warning China.  Taiwan says its military  will continue to make usual oversight³ flights.  And, in answer to China, South Korea is threatening to expand its own air defense zone. China has dismissed other  nations’ calls for it to drop its claim to the new zone.  China says its actions do not violate international laws.  It has also threatened to take action against any  aircraft that breaks the rule, but it did not say what that action might be. China does say it would not shoot down civilian⁴ airplanes. Vice President Joe Biden spoke⁵  with Chinese leaders about the zone earlier this week.

“I was absolutely clear on behalf of my president: We do not recognize the zone. It will have no effect on American operations.  None. Zero.” Mr. Biden said China’s  actions show the need for systems to help officials deal with crises and improve communication.   Joseph Cheng is a political science professor at the City University  of Hong Kong.

He says the vice president is trying to assure longtime allies Japan and South Korea that no harm will come from China’s actions. At the same time, Mr. Biden is  trying to show the importance of American Chinese relations.

During his visit, Mr. Biden also met with Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.  The two leaders agreed that China’s expanded zone is a problem, and that Japan and the  U.S. will work closely on the issue.  Mr. Abe says they also agreed they would not excuse any action that threatens the safety of civilian aircraft.

Hong Lei is China’s foreign ministry⁶ spokesman. He says China is willing to talk with Japan about the flight safety issue, but Japanese officials refuse to discuss  it.

And that’s As It Is. I’m Kelly Jean Kelly.