美國批評英國加入亞投行的決定

The White House accused the UK on Thursday of a “constant accommodation” of China after the British government decided to join a new China-led financial institutionthat could become a rival to the World Bank.

白宮週四指責英國“不斷遷就”中國。此前英國政府決定參加以中國爲首的新金融機構——亞洲基礎設施投資銀行(Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank，簡稱亞投行)，該機構可能成爲世界銀行(WB)的競爭對手。

The rare rebuke of one of the US’s closest allies comes as Britain prepares to announce it will become a founding member of the $50bn Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, making it the first G7 country to join an institution launched by China last October.

對美國最親密的盟友之一發出這一罕見譴責之際，英國正準備宣佈將成爲亞投行創始成員國之一，成爲首個參加該機構的七國集團(G7)國家。亞投行由中國於去年10月發起，資金規模爲500億美元。

The reprimand is a rare breach in the “special relationship” that has been a backbone of western policy for decades. It also underlines US concerns over China’s efforts to establish a new generation of international development banks that could challenge Washington-based global institutions. The US has been lobbying other allies not to join the AIIB.

對於數十年來一直是西方政策主心骨的美英“特殊關係”，美國的這次譴責是一次罕見的翻臉。它還凸顯出美國對中國試圖創建新一代國際開發銀行的擔憂，這類銀行可能挑戰那些總部位於華盛頓的全球機構。美國一直在遊說其他盟友不要參加亞投行。

Relations between Washington and David Cameron’s government have been strained over recent weeks, with senior US officials criticising Britain over falling defence spending, which could soon fall below the Nato target of 2 per cent of gross domestic product.

最近幾周，華盛頓和戴維•卡梅倫(David Cameron)政府之間的關係漸趨緊張，美國高官批評英國降低國防支出。英國的國防支出與國內生產總值(GDP)之比不久可能跌破2%這個北約(NATO)目標。

A senior administration official told the Financial Times that the British decision was taken after “virtually no consultation with the US” and at a time when the G7 had been discussing how to approach the new bank.

奧巴馬政府一名高官告訴英國《金融時報》，英國“幾乎沒有與美國磋商”就做出了這一決定，而且七國集團此前還在討論如何應對新成立的亞投行。

“We are wary about a trend toward constant accommodation of China, which is not the best way to engage a rising power,” the US official said.

這名美國官員表示：“我們對於那種不斷遷就中國的傾向十分警覺，這不是同一個崛起中的強國打交道的最佳方式。”

British officials were publicly restrained in criticising China over its handling of Hong Kong’s pro-democracy protests while Mr Cameron has made it clear he has no further plans to meet the Dalai Lama, Tibet’s spiritual leader — following a 2012 meeting that prompted a furious response from Beijing.

在批評中國處理香港民主抗議的問題上，英國官員在公開場合十分克制。同時卡梅倫已明確表示沒有會晤達賴喇嘛(Dalai Lama)的進一步計劃，他在2012年會晤這位西藏精神領袖之後，曾引發北京方面的激烈反彈。

While Beijing has long been suspicious about US influence over the World Bank and IMF, China also believes that the US and Japan have too much control over the Manila-based Asian Development Bank. In addition to the AIIB, China is the driving force behind the creation last year of the Brics development bank and is promoting a $40bn Silk Road Fund to finance economic integration with Central Asia.

長期以來，中國政府一直懷疑美國對世界銀行和國際貨幣基金組織(IMF)的影響力過大。此外，中國還認爲美國和日本對總部位於馬尼拉的亞洲開發銀行(Asian Development Bank)控制過多。除了亞投行以外，中國還是去年成立的金磚四國(Bric)開發銀行的推動力量，並在積極推進規模爲400億美元的絲綢之路基金(Silk Road Fund)，以便爲與中亞國家的經濟整合提供資金。

The Obama administration has said it is not opposed to the AIIB, but US officials fear it could become an instrument of Chinese foreign policy if Beijing ends up having veto power over the bank’s decisions.

奧巴馬政府曾表示不反對亞投行，但美國官方擔心，如果中國政府最終擁有對該行決策的否決權，該行可能成爲中國對外政策的工具。

The UK Treasury said George Osborne, chancellor of the exchequer, had discussed his intention to become a founding member of the new bank with Jack Lew, his US counterpart. Mr Osborne was aware his decision would not be popular with Washington.

英國財政部(Treasury)表示，財政大臣喬治•奧斯本(George Osborne)曾和美國財政部長傑克•盧(Jack Lew)討論過成爲亞投行創始成員國的意圖。奧斯本知道，他的決定不會受到華盛頓的歡迎。

Mr Osborne was unrepentant, arguing that Britain should be in at the start of the new bank, ensuring that it operates in a transparent way. He believes it fills an important gap in providing finance for infrastructure for Asia.

奧斯本並不認爲自己的決定有錯。他辯稱，英國應該在亞投行成立之初就參與，確保該行透明運營。他相信，該行填補了爲亞洲基礎設施提供融資的重要空白。

“Joining the AIIB at the founding stage will create an unrivalled opportunity for the UK and Asia to invest and grow together,” Mr Osborne said. He expects other western countries, which have been making positive noises privately about the new bank, to become involved.

奧斯本表示：“在亞投行的成立階段就加入該行，會爲英國和亞洲創造共同投資和增長的舉世無雙的機遇。”他預計其他西方國家也會參與進來，這些國傢俬下里對亞投行的反響相當積極。

Beijing launched the AIIB in October with the backing of 20 other countries, but Japan, South Korea and Australia — America’s main allies in the region — did not become founding members. There has been a strong debate with the Australian cabinet about whether to join, after US pressure to stay on the sidelines.

去年10月，北京方面在其他20個國家的支持下發起了亞投行，但是美國在亞洲的主要盟友日本、韓國和澳大利亞並未成爲創始成員國。在美國施壓澳大利亞保持觀望後，該國內閣就是否加入亞投行展開了激烈辯論。

A decision by the major economies to join now would give up leverage they might have over the AIIB as it was being set up, the US official said: “Large economies can have more influence by staying on the outside and trying to shape the standards it adopts than by getting on the inside at a time when they can have no confidence that China will not retain veto powers.”

前述美國官員稱，主要經濟體現在決定加入，將放棄其在亞投行成立過程中可能掌握的籌碼。他說：“相比在不確定中國將不保留否決權的情況下加入其中，大型經濟體如果暫且觀望並試圖影響亞投行所用的標準，可以擁有更大的影響力。”

Mr Osborne’s decision reflects London’s desire to pursue commercial relations with China aggressively, even at the expense of antagonising Washington.

奧斯本的決定反映出倫敦方面渴望積極發展英中商業關係，即便付出惹惱華盛頓的代價也在所不惜。

When Mr Osborne visited Beijing in 2013 he said he wanted to “change Britain’s attitude to China”; last October the chancellor hailed the British government’ssovereign renminbi bond issue, the first by a western government. It has been keen to establish the City of London as a platform for overseas business in the Chinese currency as it starts to play a bigger role in the global economy.

2013年奧斯本出訪北京時曾表示，他希望“改變英國對中國的態度”；去年10月，這位財政大臣宣佈英國政府發行人民幣計價的主權債券，這是西方國家首次發行人民幣主權債券。隨着人民幣開始在全球經濟中扮演更重要的角色，英國熱衷於將倫敦金融城打造成人民幣離岸中心。

Last week, the House of Commons foreign affairs committee said the British government should press China harder to introduce political reforms in Hong Kong. The committee also said it was “profoundly disappointed” at the “mild” response of the government when its members were prevented from visiting Hong Kong in November during the protests.

上週，下議院外交事務委員會稱，英國政府應當加大力度敦促中國在香港推行政治改革。該委員會還表示，去年11月香港抗議期間在該委員會成員被阻止訪問香港時，政府表現出的“溫吞”反應令委員會“深感失望”。