美国在东盟论坛发表强硬讲话

Glossary [only for reference]

up the stakes: to make a situation more urgent or more difficult to ignore

back down: to admit that you were wrong or that you have been defeated

crippling: causing so much damage or harm that something no longer works or is no longer effective

ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF): a formal, official, multilateral dialogue in Asia Pacific region. As of July 2007, it is consisted of 27 participants. ARF objectives are to foster dialogue and consultation, and promote confidence-building and preventive diplomacy in the region.

reinvigorated: to be given new energy or strength to

further afield: far away, especially from home

caution [intransitive and transitive]: to warn someone that something might be dangerous, difficult

firing line: to be in a position in which you can be attacked, often unfairly

come under scrutiny: to be carefully and thoroughly examined

outrage [uncountable]: a feeling of great anger and shock:

Aung San Suu Kyi: born 19 June 1945 in Rangoon, she is Prime Minister-elect, a pro-democracy activist and leader of the National League for Democracy in Burma, and a noted prisoner of conscience and advocate of nonviolent resistance.

junta [countable]: a military government that has gained power by using force

thorn in the side of something/somebody: a person or thing that continually annoys something/somebody or causes something/somebody pain

sorely: very much or very seriously

doctrine [uncountable and countable]: a set of beliefs that form an important part of a religion or system of ideas

abysmal: very bad or of bad quality

be slated for something [=be slated to do somthing]: if something is slated to happen, it is planned to happen in the future, especially at a particular time