VOA常速英语2018--南亚经济实现重大飞跃

As an Indo-Pacific nation, the U.S. has significant strategic and economic interests in the region.

作为印度洋-太平洋地区的一个国家，美国在该地区有诸多重大的战略利益和经济利益。

The U.S. west coast through the Bay of Bengal represents more than half the global population and more than half of the global economy, observed Deputy Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs Daniel Rosenblum. The United States is one of the leading trading partners for the region and is also a major donor 1 and investor 2, both through private sector 3 companies and as the largest individual shareholder 4 in the World Bank and the co-largest shareholder along with Japan in the Asian Development Bank.

美国西岸的孟加拉湾线的人口和经济总量都占全球一半以上，负责南亚和中亚事务的副助理国务卿丹尼尔 罗森布拉姆(Daniel Rosenblum)这样说道。美国是该地区最大的贸易伙伴之一，也是主要捐助国和投资国，因为美国有很多的私营企业，美国是世界银行的最大单个股东国，同时与日本同为亚洲开发银行的最大股东国。

The rapid economic growth during the last few decades has lifted millions out of poverty and allowed for the development of a thriving middle class. But despite this rapid growth, South Asia lags behind Southeast Asia in measures of intraregional trade and connectivity.

过去几十年间，南亚快速发展已让数百万人脱离贫困，也让蒸蒸日上的中产阶级有了一定的发展。但虽然取得了这样快速的发展，南亚在地区内贸易和连通性方面依然落后于东南亚。

But this doesn't have to be the case. The World Bank estimates that with barriers removed and streamlined custom procedures, interregional trade in South Asia would nearly quadruple from the current $28 billion to over $100 billion.

但局面本不必这样的。据世界银行估测，随着障碍的消除和海关程序的精简化，南亚地区的贸易从现在280亿美元跃升至1000亿美元，增长为现在的近四倍。

As part of its engagement in the Indo-Pacific region, the United States intends to strengthen its established alliances and partnerships 5, while expanding relationships with new partners that share respect for sovereign, fair, and reciprocal trade, and the rule of law.

作为其在印度洋-太平洋地区的部分参与活动，美国想要加强其已经建立的盟友关系和伙伴关系，同时扩展与新伙伴的关系。这些新伙伴都尊重主权、公正互惠的贸易、法治。

The United States will work to preserve a system in which international relations is conducted in accordance with established norms and in conformity 6 with international law. Such a system is essential to allow countries to ensure their own security and sovereignty, respond quickly to disasters, and helps keep sea lanes open for the movement of increasingly high volumes of trade.

美国将努力保证这样一个体系，在这个体系中，国际关系是根据既成标准来建立的，同时也必须符合国际法。有了这样的体系，各国才能确保各自的安全与主权，才能迅速对灾害做出响应，才能助力确保海中航线可以随时对不断激增的贸易额流动而敞开。

Building infrastructure 7 will be critical to expanding economic growth in the Indo-Pacific region. Without the right bridges, roads, air and sea ports, it is almost impossible for any country, let alone an entire region, to achieve their full economic potential. The United States will work with like-minded partners to strengthen transparency and governance in infrastructure financing to ensure that these projects meet their needs and do not saddle them with unaffordable debt.

构建基础设施是印度洋-太平洋地区扩展经济增长的关键。如果没有正确搭建的桥梁、道路、航空港、海港，任何地区乃至任何国家都不可能充分实现其经济潜力。美国将与志同道合的伙伴一道合作，以基础设施融资的透明度和治理情况，以确保这些项目满足它们的需求，而不会背负无法承受的债务。

The United States looks forward to working with countries in the Indo-Pacific region that share its vision of a stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific where sovereignty is upheld and a rules-based system respected.

美国期待与印度洋-太平洋地区的国家合作，前提是这些国家对该地区的愿景应该是稳定与繁荣，应该是主权得到维护、以规则为导向的体系得到尊重。