I was writing a script on the China-U.S. strategic dialogue in Alaska when I came across this piece by The Atlantic’s contributing writer Thomas Wright. And a particular paragraph caught my eye.在我写一篇关于中美阿拉斯加战略对话的文稿时，我看到了这篇文章，作者是《大西洋》月刊特约编辑托马斯·赖特。文章中的一段话吸引了我。 Wright said that China and the U.S. pose threats to each other’s interests and both will have to acknowledge the fact. And then he wrote, quote, “That will be difficult for the Biden administration, which is accustomed to assuming that American interests are not a threat to any other government, but broadly benefit all major world powers.”赖特指出，中美两国对彼此的利益都构成威胁，双方必须承认这一点。之后他写道，“这对于拜登政府来说会比较困难。因为本届政府习惯性地默认美国利益不仅不对其他国家构成威胁，而且会广泛惠及世界主要国家。” That’s an intriguing criticism.这个批评值得玩味。 You see, unlike Trump who frankly never really hid his self-interest, the Biden administration is, more or less, claiming to stand on higher moral ground. It wants to be a model, an anchor, a unifier. Even when it’s trying to take on China, it wants to “lead” other countries in doing it.与一向不加掩饰地谈论自身利益的特朗普不同，拜登政府会或多或少会表明自己占据着道德高地，希望成为别国的榜样、定心丸或粘合剂。即便在试图对抗中国时，美国也希望能够“带领”其他国家一起这样做。 “Like-minded nations,” that’s the phrase he’d like to use. His secretary of state drew ire at Alaska when he basically said these nations, at least those he visited, don’t like China. That’s the phrase his secretary of defense used when trying to woo India during his visit to the country. 拜登喜欢将这些国家形容为“立场相近的国家”。美国国务卿在阿拉斯加对话中的言论引起不满一部分原因也是因为他称这些国家，至少是他本人访问过的那几个都不喜欢中国。美国国防部长在访印期间也使用了这种说法笼络印度。 Now, this might not be popular knowledge, but Biden didn’t invent the term. There is a Like Minded-Group of Developing Countries (LMDC). It is a group of developing countries that negotiate in international organizations like the UN or WTO as a bloc. These countries represent more than 50% of the world’s population, and comprise China, India, Saudi Arabia, Myanmar, and many others.大家可能有所不知，这种表述并不是拜登发明的。有一个组织叫做“立场相近的发展中国家集团”。该集团是一个由发展中国家作为整体参与联合国或世贸组织等国际机构谈判的组织，其成员国人口占全球总人口的一半以上，包括中国、印度、沙特阿拉伯、缅甸等众多国家。 The name is self-explanatory. It’s about representing developing nations’ interests and augmenting the share of their voices in international affairs.顾名思义，这一组织代表发展中国家的利益，并强化发展中国家在国际问题上的发言权。 What’s Biden’s “like-minded nations” about? Containing, suppressing, countering, whatever the word is… it’s about trimming China down. 而拜登口中的“立场相近的国家”都做些什么呢？遏制、打压、对抗……不论用什么词，目的都是要打压中国。 Why? Because China is strong, powerful, and, most importantly, different, not “like-minded.” Not to the U.S., at least.为什么呢？因为中国够大够强。最重要的是，因为中国不一样，至少不是美国版的“立场相近的国家”。 The current U.S. administration, like so many before it, believes that its system of governance, that particular form of democracy, and its values are beneficial and should prevail. “Benefit all major world powers,” remember? 本届美国政府和之前的数届一样，都认为美国的治理体系、美式民主和价值观是有益的，应当占据主导地位。“广泛惠及世界主要国家”，还记得这句话吗？ But are they? Are “like-minded nations” benefiting? Not sure they do. Blinken spent all that time and energy to build up a mirage of concerted efforts against China only to be shot down at the dialogue.但事实真的如此吗？“立场相近的国家”获益了吗？不一定。布林肯费时费力搭建的反华同盟的海市蜃楼在阿拉斯加对话上轰然坍塌。 Are they finding a model in human rights? Well, at least people in Japan, South Korea are not. Six Asian-Americans just got shot dead in Atlanta. And in a twisted way, that’s the only reason why Asian-Americans are finally getting a sliver of voice in the U.S.美国为这些国家竖立人权榜样了吗？至少对日本和韩国来说并非如此。6名亚裔美国人在近期的亚特兰大枪击案中丧生。讽刺的是，只有在这一事件后，亚裔才终于得到了些许在美国社会中发声的机会。 On the coronavirus pandemic? The U.S. has hoarded more than enough vaccines for itself. Its commitment to boost India’s vaccine production wouldn’t effectively kick in until 2022. Besides Mexico and Canada, America hasn’t donated or sold doses to other countries.那在抗疫方面呢？美国囤积了超过自身所需数量的疫苗。至于说承诺要帮助印度提升疫苗产量，那得等到2022年才能见效。不仅如此，除了墨西哥和加拿大，也不见美国向其他国家捐赠或出售过疫苗。 And even if their intentions are really to take China down a notch, that failed spectacularly. Even Americans are tweeting that Blinken got schooled by China. And what is the White House doing? Yelling at Blinken for bringing a staffer with purple hair to the dialogue.即便只是希望在气势上打压中国，他们的算盘也彻底落了空。就连美国人自己都在推特上称中国给布林肯上了一课。然而白宫是什么反应呢？冲布林肯大发雷霆，责怪他带了一名紫色头发的工作人员参会。 Hair color. 居然在纠结发色。 Now Blinken visits Europe, standing with the EU just after both sides imposed sanctions on China. No doubt trying to show unity with more “like-minded nations.” But even the EU nations are boasting about the recently finished negotiation on the CAI with China.布林肯现在访欧。在美国和欧洲实施了新的对华制裁后造访欧盟国家，这无疑是想展示美国与“立场相近的国家”团结一心。但即便是欧盟国家也在兴致勃勃地谈论着近期与中国完成的《中欧全面投资协定》谈判。 There’s nothing wrong with assuming that one’s values and interests could benefit people. But in assuming too much, there’s a danger of failing to take note of what’s really going on.认为自己的价值观和利益能够惠及他人，这没有错。但如果过于陶醉其中，就无法看清现实了。