回顾中国2011年的外交情况

China has been playing a greater role on the global stage over the past year. The European debt crisis, unrest in the Arab world, the US’s back-in-Asia strategy and disputes over the South China sea have presented challenges to Chinese diplomacy. But with any crisis comes opportunity.
过去这一年，中国在世界舞台上扮演的角色更加重要。欧债危机、阿拉伯世界动乱、美国回归亚洲的战略以及南海纠纷都给中国的外交带来挑战。但是，有危机就有机遇。

As the world’s two biggest economies, relations between China and the US are one of the most important bilateral ties in the world and can probably best be described as both cooperative and competitive.
作为世界最大的两个经济体，中美关系是全球最重要的双边关系之一，对其最好的描述是合作与竞争并存。

During Chinese President Hu Jintao’s visit to Washington in January 2011, the two countries agreed to develop a cooperative partnership built upon mutual respect and benefit.
在2011年1月中国胡主席访问美国期间，两国同意在相互尊重、互惠互利的基础上发展合作伙伴关系。

But still, there are some thorny issues. The US has made no secret of its desire to increase its influence in Asia. It’s been encouraging investment and has built a stronger military presence in the region.
但是仍然有一些棘手的问题。美国公开显示其扩大在亚洲的影响的欲望。美国在亚洲地区鼓励投资、建立更强大的驻军。

The US has also weighed-in on China’s territorial disputes with some South East Asian countries over parts of the South China Sea. And it’s carried out military drills with Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines. Some experts say the moves are a direct challenge to China and its rising power.
美国还参与到中国与一些东南亚国家关于南海的领土纠纷中。它与泰国、越南和菲律宾进行军事演习。一些专家称，这些行动是对中国及其崛起的直接挑战。

In response China introduced a number of proposals to strengthen its own ties with the countries of the region at the East Asia Summit last November. And it has worked on measures to resolve issues through peaceful means with its ASEAN neighbors.
作为回应，在去年10月份的东亚峰会上，中国采用一些建议，加强与该地区国家的关系。中国采取措施，通过和平的方式解决与东盟邻国的问题。

But while America appears to view China as both friend and foe, Europe is seeing it more and more as a savior.
但是，在美国视中国为朋友兼对手的时候，欧洲越来越视中国为救星。

Riddled with debt and domestic unrest over austerity measures, a growing number of European countries are relying on China for financial support. China’s been helping by sending purchasing groups to the region, contributing to the International Monetary Fund, and buying sovereign debt from some EU nations.
欧洲被债务和紧缩措施引发的国内动乱缠身，越来越多的欧洲国家依靠中国的财政支援。中国通过派遣采购团到该地区、为国际货币基金组织捐款以及购买一些欧盟国家的主权债务来帮助欧洲。

Last July, China became the EU’s biggest trade partner. And according to the European Chamber of Commerce, 70 percent of European enterprises in China have benefited from its rapid economic growth.
去年七月份，中国成为欧盟最大的贸易伙伴。据欧盟商会称，在中国的70%的欧盟企业从中国快速的经济增长中获益。

China’s also invested heavily in Africa - most notably by funding and building the new headquarters of the African Union, which opened in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa earlier this year.
中国也大力投资非洲——最明显的是拨款和建造新的非盟总部，非盟总部今年早些时候在埃塞俄比亚首都亚的斯亚贝巴开张。

Along with investment, Chinese diplomacy has also reflected a concern for its people. As Libya spiralled into chaos last February, China evacuated more than 35, 000 of its citizens from the country -- the biggest such operation since the founding of New China in 1949.
除了投资，中国的外交也表达了对其人民的担忧。在上个月利比亚陷入混乱的时候，中国从该国撤离了3.5万多名公民——这是1949年新中国成立以来此类行动中最大的一个。

One thing’s certain: China’s rapid economic growth is giving it a greater say in global affairs, and its influence is being felt in all corners.
有一点是肯定的：中国快速的经济增长使其在全球事务上拥有更大的发言权，世界各个角落都能感受到中国的影响。