【双语社评】希望中美对话产生管控摩擦的实效
环球时报GlobalTimes
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China and the US will hold their second diplomatic and security dialogue on Friday in Washington during which senior officials from both sides will meet to talk about pressing and challenging issues.
中美外交与安全对话定于星期五在华盛顿举行，中国政军高官杨洁篪、魏凤和将与美方的蓬佩奥、马蒂斯会晤，这一阵容相当于美国与盟友的2+2会谈，但是中美双方的话题显然更紧要，也更具挑战性。
This is the second dialogue of this kind since President Xi Jinping of China and his US counterpart Donald Trump launched this framework for negotiation in Mar-a-Lago in April 2017. Since then, there have been dramatic changes in China-US relations.
中美外交与安全对话是两国元首去年4月海湖庄园会晤确定下来的，去年举办过一轮，美国时间今天举行的是第二轮。与去年4月时相比，中美关系气氛已有很大变化。
The US declared China a strategic rival, launched the largest-ever trade war against China, made provocations over Taiwan and the South China Sea, shrank bilateral technological and cultural exchanges and cracked down on Chinese high-tech enterprises. Senior US officials often throw mud at China in their remarks, making the outside world feel heightened tensions. Many are concerned whether the split in the US Congress after the midterm elections will herald worse China-US relations.
美方宣布中国为战略竞争对手，对华发起了史上最大规模的贸易战，还在台湾和南海方向上不断搞动作，频抓所谓“中国间谍”，收缩中美科技及文化交流，打压中国高科技企业。另外美国高官不时发表抹黑中国的言论，增加了外界对中美关系紧张的感受。中期选举后民主党执掌众议院，国会的分裂是否会促成美方一些力量推动中美关系进一步恶化，这也是很多人关心的话题。
Against this backdrop, the dialogue creates an opportunity for China and the US to communicate on pressing issues and may bring a thaw to soured ties. And the Xi-Trump meeting at the G20 summit later this month is expected to stabilize bilateral relations.
我们认为，中美外交与安全对话为两国针对双方关系的紧迫问题开展沟通创造了一个机会，它有可能带来中美关系的一定缓和，加上本月底G20期间将举行“习特会”，人们希望这一系列沟通对稳定中美关系发挥作用。
While major divergences between China and the US can't be solved immediately, it's crucial the two countries manage their frictions. They need to stop underestimating each other's will. In fact, both sides weren't ready to fully upgrade their confrontation. They need to exercise self-restraint.
在一时解决不了中美主要分歧的情况下，管控双方有升级之势的各种摩擦就变得尤为重要。中美双方要面对当初彼此都低估了对方意志的现实，不要延续这样的低估，将中美摩擦推向无法回旋的境地。事实上，中美都没有准备好全面升级对抗，前一段时间双方的很多行动都是在宣示决心，但我们认为这两个大国都应自我约束，防止导致它们无力收拾的后果。
The Chinese side needs to listen to US demands and sort out what's reasonable. The US side has to assess what is China's bottom line.
中方有必要倾听美方的各种要求，认真审视其中哪些要求是合理的。美方则应用心评估哪些是中国的底线。
Western media has increasingly hyped a new Cold War looming between China and the US, but few US officials identify with the view publicly.
近来中美“新冷战”的说法不断在美国和西方媒体中抬头，我们注意到，极少有美国官员公开附和这种说法，美国议员公开鼓吹与中国“冷战”的也不多。
A new Cold War serves the interests of neither China nor the US. This hype will only poison the environment for future China-US cooperation and hence the two countries need coordination to send signals and shatter the misleading judgment.
“新冷战”显然既不符合中国利益，也不符合美国的利益。把这一鼓动作为向中国施压的手段也不可能起作用。宣扬“新冷战”只会毒化中美未来开展合作的环境，因此中美需协调采取一些行动，释放一些信息，驱散这一可能误导两国社会思维的预言。
There are few examples from history when great power competition ended up with both sides winning. China and the US have different political systems and ideologies. It's no easy task for one side to convince the other of its kindness and figure out the other's strategic intention. But this is a critical step for human beings to walk out of the predicament of the rise and fall of a traditional power. Both countries, especially the US, must demonstrate patience and responsibility.
中美开展战略沟通有相当的难度。本来历史上就极少有过双赢的顶级力量的大国竞争，加上中美又有不同的政治制度和意识形态，要让对方相信自己的善意，搞清对方的战略意图究竟是什么，实在是件不容易的事。但这又是人类走出传统大国兴衰困境的关键一步，中美、尤其是力量强势的美国一方需要展现出对历史负责的耐心和责任感。
China has to convince the US that our range of core interests is far smaller than other powers in history, but we are steadfast in defending those core interests and capable of doing so. Outside that range, China will expand its interests in the world only through enlarging common interests with others rather than encroaching upon others' interests in a zero-sum manner.
中方要让美方确信，我们对核心利益圈的划定范围远远小于历史上的大国，但我们捍卫核心利益的决心坚定不移，而且由于这个范围较小，我们有足够的能力形成局部的力量充裕。走到核心利益圈之外，中国向世界的利益延伸只会以不断扩大共同利益的方式来实现，而决不会以零和方式侵占别国的现有利益。
China needs to keep clarifying our mentality and behavioral logic. Meanwhile the US should refrain from infringing upon China's core interest or it will backfire. It is hoped that China and the US can act smart and rational to avoid repeating the previous tragedies of emerging and existing powers.
中方应不断向美方讲清我们的思维方式和行为逻辑。当然，在这当中也要劝诫美方，不要向中国的核心利益下手。我们希望中美是两个足够聪明、理性的大国，历史上大国兴衰的各种悲剧我们终将能够避免。
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