决策者｜原则问题，方寸不让

Editor's note: Decision Makers is a global platform for decision makers to share their insights on events shaping today's world. Meifang Zhang is China's consul general in Belfast. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.

编者按：“决策者”（Decision Makers）是一个全球平台，供决策者分享他们对当今世界重大事件的见解。作者张美芳是中国驻贝尔法斯特总领馆总领事。文章仅代表作者观点，而非本台观点。

What does it mean to have principles, as a person, or a nation for that matter? One who faithfully follows a set of beliefs or known truths rather than abandon them when convenient. One who can be trusted in their word to act in a manner consistent with such principled truths.

对于个人和国家而言，讲原则意味着什么？讲原则意味着恪守信仰和真理，不因一时之利而抛弃信仰和真理；讲原则还意味着言必信、行必果，知行合一。

For this, more than anything else, is what is at the center of the provocation orchestrated when U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi broke with a longstanding principle, policy, and protocol by stepping on the soil of the Taiwan region, which is China's territory, blatantly violating the one-China principle, infringing upon its sovereignty and territorial integrity, and undermining peace and stability in the region.

美国众议院议长南希·佩洛西的窜台挑衅行为表明她是个不讲原则的人。她背弃一贯原则，无视政策和礼节，踏足中国台湾地区，公然违反一个中国原则，侵犯中国主权和领土完整，破坏地区和平稳定。

That it was done under the guise of "freedom and democracy" only fuels further the justifiable ire of Beijing and the Chinese people. For too often we find the U.S. waving this false flag when it wants to impose its will upon the world. It is false in that a country that is struggling mightily with its own damaged version of democracy, along with the limitation of rights and freedoms of its own people, would have the audacity to anoint itself the very protector of "democracy and freedom" abroad. This is simply another story told by the master storyteller to the masses.

她打着“自由和民主”的幌子窜访台湾，只会加剧中国政府和人民正当的愤怒。因为我们经常看到，每当美国想将自己的意志强加于别国时，它都打着民主自由的旗号。这种做法的虚伪之处在于，美国自身的民主状况劣迹斑斑，甚至还限制本国民众的权利和自由，而它竟然自诩为“海外民主自由的保护者”。这不过是“故事大王”给大家编的又一个故事罢了！

Beijing has responded in full force to this gross violation of a longstanding understanding: there is but one China in the world, and Taiwan is an inseparable part of China, which is a principle clearly recognized by the UN General Assembly under Resolution 2758 in 1971. It was reinforced through the provisions of the three China-U.S. joint communiques. Principle to one, policy to another – one that has been in place for near half a century.

中方对这一严重挑衅、违反长期共识的行为做出了全面回应。具体违反了哪项共识呢？即世界上只有一个中国，台湾是中国领土不可分割的一部分。这是联合国大会在1971年通过的第2758号决议中明确承认的原则。这一原则通过中美三个联合公报得到进一步加强。一个中国原则已经存在近半个世纪的时间，然而美国宣称的“一个中国”政策却与之有很大出入。

The one-China principle was violated by a foolish action of a desperate nation, desperate to distract its own people from troubles at home. It is a political stunt by a fading politician, troubled party and nation. China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi stated that it is an attempt to undermine China's development and revitalization." Under "the fallacy of the 'China threat'," as shared by Chinese Ambassador to the UK Zheng Zeguang, playing the "Taiwan Card" in some arrogant geopolitical game is an attempt to destabilize and capitalize China's Taiwan region. And in doing so, the U.S. broke its word. 

歇斯底里的美国政府不断使出昏招，背弃一个中国原则，不顾一切地转移美国人民对国内问题的关注。这是一位即将下台的政客、陷入困境的政党和国家制造的政治噱头。外交部长王毅指出，此举“企图破坏中国的发展振兴”。驻英国大使郑泽光表示，美方以“中国威胁论”为借口，不断打“台湾牌”，搞“以台制华”，破坏地区和平稳定，试图通过军售发横财。这种行为违背了美方此前的承诺。

So why is this, the breaking of one's word, of such seriousness? It has to do with what is known as social capital. Social capital means different things to different people under different methods of study. But one thing always rings true when looking at what forms the foundation for any societal trust, in particular between various societies rich in variety: that is the ability to trust "strangers," those who do not look like you, think like you, or act and behave as you would. And social capital is required by the global society in its entirety if we are to manage our way to a community of shared future for mankind.

那么，为何违背诺言是如此严重的问题呢？归根结底，这与所谓的“社会资本”有关。在不同的研究方法下，社会资本的含义见仁见智。但是，在研究社会信任的组成要素时，特别是丰富多样的社会之间的相互信任时，有一点特别重要：那就是信任“陌生人”的能力，信任那些外表、思想、行为举止与你不同的人。如果我们要成功建设人类命运共同体，全球社会就需要这种社会资本。

The U.S. breached this trust, shattering the social capital remained from years of divergence in thought and intent as world leaders. In doing so, it drove a further divide between nations and people that are at times inherently strange to one another but had managed to find a way forward together.

美国破坏了这种信任，消耗了多年来作为全球主导大国在（应对）思想和意图上的分歧中所积累下来的社会资本。这种行为进一步加深了国家之间和人民之间的分歧。一直以来，虽然这些国家和人民彼此之间的熟悉程度不高，但却设法找到了共同前进的道路。

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi speaks in her ceremonial office in Washington, D.C., August 9, 2022. /CFP

How is China to trust the U.S. going forward? For what we have seen, in particular, over the past few election cycles is a consistency of inconsistency. And it is a manufacturing of a "truth" that bares no resemblance to truth itself. The politics within the U.S. has become comfortable with its own divergent "truths," forging a nation divided that appears to find common ground in but two areas: the support of war over peace; and the painting of China as the villain of the moment.

未来中国如何信任美国？在过去的几个选举周期中，我们看到美方频频出尔反尔，为了一时之利，无视事实真相，肆意制造和散播虚假信息。美国政坛已经习惯于扭曲“真相”，两党各执一词、意见分裂，似乎只在两个方面达成了共识：煽动战争而非维护和平；以及将中国刻画成反派。

The reckless and irresponsible actions of Pelosi, along with the subsequent refusal by the U.S. to take any responsibility as an administration for this abrupt turn from policy, has compelled China to respond. And responded it has, by canceling or suspending cooperation in key areas of military, intergovernmental and environmental exchanges.

佩洛西鲁莽和不负责任的行为，以及随后美方拒绝为政策的突然转向承担任何责任，迫使中国做出回应。中国宣布取消或暂停与美国在军事、政府间和环境等关键领域的合作。

What would one expect when trust has been breached? How precisely would one move forward in cooperation with someone who has shown themselves to be untrustworthy? It is challenging enough working with a nation like the U.S. whose position on critical international matters such as climate change shifts with the changing winds of each election cycle. Yet still, China and the U.S. managed on, until the U.S. broke trust with its recent action against China. The U.S. violated a principle sustained over decades, interfered once again in the sovereign rights of nations, and destabilized a region by attempting to impose its will and way on China and its people.

当信任遭到破坏时，还有什么值得期待呢？要如何与一个已经表明自己不值得信任的人合作？与美国这样的国家合作已经很有挑战性，因为美国在气候变化等关键国际事务上的立场会随着每个选举周期的政治风向而变化。然而，中美两国仍在努力保持合作，直到近期美方不顾中方的严正警告，一意孤行窜访台湾，破坏两国之间的信任关系，违背持续数十年的原则，并再次干涉中国主权，试图将其意志和主张强加给中国和中国人民，破坏区域稳定。

What choice does a nation like China have than to defend its people and country? The Taiwan region is not a pawn to be played in some deviant global chess game. No nation will sit idly by in such matters.

此刻，像中国这样的国家，除了捍卫自己的人民和国家外别无选择。中国台湾不是一枚棋子，不容外国势力在险恶的国际棋局中玩弄。任何国家都不能在这种事情上坐视不管。

Words matter; actions matter more. And when the actions of another actor upon the global stage resemble the theater of the absurd, consequential actions must be taken. For China and its people and for a world that deserves to be better.

言语很重要，行动更重要。当全球舞台上的另一个主角行为荒诞时，中方必须采取相应的行动，这么做是为了中国人民，也是为了创造一个更加美好的世界。

As a matter of principle. 

归根到底，这是原则问题。

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