习主席出访中东：共促和平，共谋发展

 　　President Xi Jinping left Beijing Tuesday morning to visit Middle East. He will elaborate on China’s policies to boost peace and development in the Middle East during his first overseas trip of the year, which starts on Tuesday.

　　1月19日上午，国家主席习近平出访中东。在2016年的首次海外出访（自1月19日开始）期间，他将详细阐述中国对促进中东和平与发展的政策主张。
　　This was disclosed at a media briefing in Beijing on Monday by Vice-Foreign Minister Zhang Ming, who also said Xi will outline China’s measures for pragmatic cooperation.
　　在1月18日召开的媒体发布会上，外交部副部长张明介绍了习近平主席本次出访情况，他还说，习近平将就中国同中东国家务实合作提出倡议和举措。
　　Observers have voiced high hopes for the president’s schedule, which is aimed at reinvigorating the conflict-plagued region, including his speech on Middle East policy and possible outcomes regarding China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
　　习近平此行旨在重振这个饱受冲突困扰的地区，包括面向中东国家发表重要讲话，以及推进中国“一带一路”在中东的布局。评论家们对习近平此行寄予厚望。
　　During his state visits to Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Iran, Xi will also visit the headquarters of the Arab League in Cairo and deliver a speech there, Zhang said.
　　张明说，习近平在对沙特阿拉伯、埃及、伊朗国事访问期间，还将访问位于开罗的阿拉伯国家联盟总部，并在那里发表讲话。
　　The trip, which covers the three major players in the region, was announced last week.
　　本次出访行程是在上周宣布的，涵盖了中东三个主要国家。
　　This year mars the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Egypt and of China-Arab ties.
　　2016年适逢中埃建交60周年，也是中国与阿拉伯国家开启外交关系60周年。
　　A joint 1 statement on setting up a China-Saudi Arabia comprehensive strategic partnership 2 will be issued during Xi’s visit to the kingdom, Zhang said.
　　张明介绍，在习近平访问沙特阿拉伯王国期间，两国将发表建立中沙全面战略伙伴关系的联合声明。
　　Zhang also said major international and regional issues will be discussed during the visits to the three countries.
　　张明还说，在习近平访问三国期间还将就重大国际和地区问题深入交换意见。
　　Wu Sike, a former Chinese special envoy 3 for Middle East affairs, said doubts had been raised over Xi’s visit to the region, and his trip will show that China’s policies toward the area "have been tested by time and the evolving situation".
　　中国中东问题前特使吴思科表示，已经有人就习近平访问中东地区提出疑问。而习近平的出访则恰能表明，中国对热点频生的中东地区所奉行的外交政策“经得起时间和时局的考验”。
　　Wu said Xi’s initiatives on co-building the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime 4 Silk Road — proposed in 2013 — have received proactive responses from the region, including from Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Iran.
　　吴思科说，习近平主席两年前提出共同建设“一带一路”（丝绸之路经济带和21世纪海上丝绸之路）的倡议已在该地区得到积极响应，包括沙特，埃及和伊朗。
　　Nourhan al-Sheikh, a professor of political sciences at Cairo University, told Xinhua News Agency, "Arab-Chinese ties are stable and far from any tensions, disagreements or contradictions in political positions."
　　开罗大学的政治学教授Nourhan al-Sheikh告诉新华社记者，“阿拉伯和中国的关系是稳定的，双方政治立场不存在紧张、分歧或矛盾。”
　　In a signed article published on Monday in the Saudi newspaper Al Riyadh, Xi said that it is hoped that Saudi Arabia will become "an important participant, builder and beneficiary of the Belt and Road".
　　国家主席习近平在沙特《利雅得报》发表的署名文章中表示，希望沙特成为“一带一路的重要参与者、建设者、受益者”。
　　Li Shaoxian, a senior expert in Middle East studies at Ningxia University in Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui autonomous 5 region, said that Iran has been one of the "most honest supporters" of the Belt and Road Initiative, and the country is witnessing sanctions being lifted by the international community.
　　来自宁夏回族自治区银川市宁夏大学的中东问题资深研究专家李绍先说，伊朗一直一来都是“一带一路”计划“最忠实的支持者”之一，而且国际社会对伊朗的制裁正在解除。
　　"As it undertakes rebuilding, it expects international participation 6 in its domestic economic development," Li said.
　　李绍先表示，“因为它正在重建，当前非常期待国际力量参与，促进其经济发展。”