米中戦略対話 どう進む新しい時代の「Ｇ２」

The Yomiuri Shimbun(Jul. 30, 2009)
U.S.-China dialogue exposes responsibilities
米中戦略対話　どう進む新しい時代の「Ｇ２」（7月30日付・読売社説）

The first round of the ministerial-level U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue ended in Washington on Tuesday with the issuing of a joint statement.
　米中の閣僚級による初めての戦略・経済対話がワシントンで開かれ、共同文書が発表された。

The dialogue was a revamp of the talks between the financial chiefs of the two nations that were initiated by the former administration of U.S. President George W. Bush. President Barack Obama's administration has regularized and broadened these discussions to include diplomatic and security dimensions.
　ブッシュ前政権時代に始まった経済対話を、外交・安保なども協議する場に格上げし、定例化する。

Obama said in his opening speech Monday, "The relationship between the United States and China will shape the 21st century." There is weighty meaning behind these words.
　オバマ米大統領が「米中が２１世紀を作る」と述べた意味は重い。

With the United States and China now being called the "G-2," Obama's remark expresses the determination of the two countries to play an important role for peace and stability in the international community, in addition to the world economy.
　２大主要国「Ｇ２」と呼ばれ始めた米中が、世界経済だけでなく、国際社会の平和と安定に重要な役割を果たしていく決意を表明したものだ。

By placing priority on China, which is getting economically stronger, the United States aims to have China share responsibility within the international community.
　米国は、経済力をつけた中国を重視し、責任を共有させることを狙っている。

Meanwhile, China seems to be exercising influence on the United States by trumpeting the fact that it has become the largest holder of U.S. Treasury securities.
中国も、米国債の最大の保有国になったことを背景に、米国への影響力を行使しようというのだろう。

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Doing business together

It is true that many tasks cannot be solved unless the United States and China--which are strengthening their economic interdependence--act together. However, there is still much diplomatic and military friction between the two. It will be worth watching how the future U.S.-China relationship will unfold against the backdrop of both cooperation and tension.
　経済的に相互依存関係を強める米中が協調しなければ、解決できない課題が多いのも事実だ。しかし、外交・軍事面で、両国は依然、緊張の火種を抱えている。協調と対立の中で、今後の米中関係がどう進むのか注目される。

The joint statement said, at first in the economic field, that corrections should be made to the trade imbalance, which sees U.S. deficits against China continuing to balloon, and that cooperation should be aimed at achieving steady growth.
　共同文書はまず、経済分野で、中国に対する米国の赤字が膨らむ貿易不均衡を是正し、着実な成長を図るための協調をうたった。

In light of the issues besetting the two countries, it is not surprising that among key tasks for future scrutiny are the United States' overconsumption and China's domestic-demand expansion policies that are being spurred by its own increased consumption.
　米国は過剰消費の見直し、中国が消費拡大による内需拡大策を課題に掲げたのは、両国の抱える問題に照らせば当然のことだ。

Also included was the issue of U.S. budget deficit reduction, as China would like to see a restoration of fiscal soundness and a stable U.S. dollar. If the United States reduces its budget deficit, this will help the world economy, including Japan, as it attempts to overcome the financial crisis.
　米国の財政赤字削減も盛り込まれた。中国が財政健全化とドルの安定を求めたためだ。米国が財政赤字を削減することは、金融危機克服を目指す日本など世界経済にも寄与する。

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Other issues on table

Regarding global warming, the two nations--the two largest emitters of greenhouse gases--agreed to create a framework of dialogue. It is impossible to achieve significant reductions in greenhouse gases unless these two nations work to tackle the issue.
　地球温暖化問題では、温室効果ガスの２大排出国である両国が対話の枠組み創設で合意した。両国が真剣に取り組まねば、温室効果ガスの削減は実現できない。

Regarding the suspended six-party talks on North Korea's denuclearization, the two nations affirmed that it is important to see a resumption of the talks and agreed to continue working toward denuclearization.
　中断している北朝鮮の核問題をめぐる６か国協議については、再開の重要性を確認し、非核化に向けた努力の継続で一致した。

The United States and China emphasized the importance of implementing the U.N. sanctions resolution against North Korea, which aggressively conducted a nuclear test. The United States appeared to be urging the Chinese side to again implement sanctions on North Korea.
　核実験を強行した北朝鮮に対する国連制裁決議については、「履行の有効性」を強調した。米側は改めて中国側に制裁の実行を促したものと見られる。

The two nations also discussed how to handle antiterrorism measures and strengthen cooperation toward nuclear disarmament.
　反テロへの取り組みや核軍縮に向けた連携強化も協議した。

Although the issue of human rights was taken up, the statement failed to refer to China's ethnic minority issue, including the bloody violence in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, or issues surrounding Taiwan.
人権問題も取り上げられたが、共同文書はウイグル暴動など少数民族問題に言及せず、「台湾問題」も触れなかった。

Such issues as the financial crisis, global warming and North Korea are important tasks directly linked to Japan's national interests. In addition to cooperating closely with the United States, Japan also needs to continuously call on China to play a responsible role.
　金融危機や地球温暖化、北朝鮮問題などは、日本の国益に直結する重要課題だ。日本は米国と緊密に連携するとともに、中国にも責任ある役割を果たすよう、引き続き求めていく必要がある。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, July 30, 2009)
（2009年7月30日01時16分 読売新聞）