亚投行：大国博弈又一仗

2015年3月17日是亚投行创始成员国资格申请截止的“关键日”。这天，法德意三国宣布效仿英国，加入该银行，此举似乎让美国感觉 “很吃醋”……

测试中可能遇到的词汇和知识：

ally 同盟国['?la?]

setback 挫折

democracy 民主[d?'m?kr?s?]

unrepentant 顽固不化的[?nr?'pent(?)nt]

Treasury 财政部['tre?(?)r?]

geopolitical 地缘政治[,d?i??(?)p?'l?t?k(?)l]

Europeans defy US to join China-led development bank（475words）

by George Parker in London,Anne-Sylvaine Chassany in Paris and Geoff Dyer in Washington,March 16,2015 10:49 pm

France,Germany and Italy have all agreed to follow Britain's lead and join a China-led international development bank,according to European officials,delivering a blow to US efforts to keep leading western countries out of the new institution.

The decision by the three European governments comes after Britain announced last week that it would join the $50bn Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank,a potential rival to the Washington-based World Bank.

Australia,a key US ally in the Asia-Pacific region which had come under pressure from Washington to stay out of the new bank,has also said that it will now rethink that position.

The European decisions represent a significant setback for the Obama administration,which has argued that western countries could have more influence over the workings of the new bank if they stayed together on the outside and pushed for higher lending standards.

The AIIB,which was formally launched by Chinese President Xi Jinping last year,is one element of a broader Chinese push to create new financial and economic institutions that will increase its international influence. It has become a central issue in the growing contest between China and the US over who will define the economic and trade rules in Asia over the coming decades.

When Britain announced its decision to join the AIIB last week,the Obama administration told the Financial Times that it was part of a broader trend of “constant accommodation” by London of China. British officials were relatively restrained in their criticism of China over its handling of pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong last year.

Britain tried to gain “first mover advantage” last week by signing up to the fledgling Chinese-led bank before other G7 members. The UK government claimed it had to move quickly because of the impending May 7 general election. The move by George Osborne,the UK chancellor of the exchequer,won plaudits in Beijing.

Britain hopes to establish itself as the number one destination for Chinese investment and UK officials were unrepentant. One suggested that the White House criticism of Britain was a case of sour grapes: “They couldn't have got congressional approval to join the AIIB,even if they wanted to.”

The US Treasury has voiced concerns about governance at the new bank,especially the environmental and social standards it attaches to its loans. It said it was worried that the AIIB could become a “low-quality” institution.

Privately,US and Australian officials have suggested that the British decision to break ranks and join the bank was driven by commercial considerations and that London was blind to the broader geopolitical implications in the Asia-Pacific region.

South Korean media have reported that Seoul will also now rethink its decision not to join the AIIB. Japan,the US ally in the region that is most worried by China's growing influence,is not expected to become a member.

Additional reporting by James Politi in Rome and Jamie Smyth in Sydney

1.Which is not an impact the European decisions have brought to the US?

A.US would lose a key ally in the Asia-Pacific region.

B.They gave a heavy shock to the Obama administration.

C.US failed to prevent the West from joining the AIIB.

D.The AIIB is likely to be a rival of the World Bank.

[1] 答案

2.What's the core issue over the coming decades between China and the US?

A.What's the new element of US Economic Development.

B.How does Chinese create new financial institutions.

C.Who will define the economic and trade rules in Asia.

D.How does Asia increase the international influence.

[2] 答案

3.What is the main reason for the UK government to join the AIIB?

A.Considering the commercial issues.

B.Making Endless Concessions to China.

C.The impending general election on May 7th.

D.Some favorable geopolitical factors.

[3] 答案

4.According to the last paragraph,which of the following countries will most probably join the AIIB?

A.Australia

B.Japan

C.Korea

D.Canberra

[4] 答案

[1]答案：A.US would lose a key ally in the Asia-Pacific region.

解释：文章前半部分中，法德意三国的决定代表了奥巴马政府的一次重大挫折,因为美国一直试图阻止西方主要国家加入该银行，同时亚投行可能会成为总部位于华盛顿的世界银行的竞争对手。

[2]答案：C.Who will define the economic and trade rules in Asia.

解释：文章第五段，中美两国就未来几十年谁将界定亚洲金融和贸易规则的竞争日益激烈。

[3]答案：C.The impending general election on May 7th.

解释：第七段，英国政府声称，由于5月7日大选临近，英国不得不迅速采取行动。英国财政大臣乔治·奥斯本此举赢得中国的称赞。

[4]答案：C.Korea

解释：最后一段，韩国媒体称，韩国现在也会重新考虑其不加入亚投行的决定。美国在亚洲的盟友——日本对于中国影响力与日俱增最为担忧，预计日本不会加入该银行。