社评：中美关系需搭桥，别打墙｜Build bridge instead of hurdle

社评：中美关系需搭桥，别打墙｜Build bridge instead of hurdle

As predicted, Nicolas Burns, US President Joe Biden's nominee for the United States ambassador to China, took a tough line in his Senate confirmation hearing in Washington on Wednesday.

正如预测的那样，美国总统拜登提名的美国驻华大使尼古拉斯·伯恩斯周三在华盛顿举行的参议院提名确认听证会上，采取强硬立场。

In his speech, the former ambassador to NATO blew the dust off almost all the ruses in the China-bashing playbook of the previous US administration as if he were nominated by Biden's predecessor.

在讲话中，这位前驻北约大使几乎揭开了美国前任政府抨击中国剧本中的所有诡计，就好像他是特朗普提名的一样。

Burns was obviously attempting to prove to the senators his "political correctness" in lashing out at China with the well-worn lies of "genocide in Xinjiang" and "abuses in Tibet" and "bullying of Taiwan".

伯恩斯显然是想向参议员们证明，继续鼓吹新疆、西藏和台湾等问题，用这样陈词滥调的谎言来抨击中国，具有“政治正确性”。

All these have been heard before ad infinitum, and, having been debunked, are nothing more than crowd-pleasers for his audience. So it is not the performance of Burns but the logic underlying it — only China-bashers will be approved for posts in the US administration — that was the most notable aspect of the hearing.

所有这些说法此前已经听过无数次，并且早已被揭穿，对他来说不过是取悦大众的方式。因此，听证会中最引人注目的不是伯恩斯的表现，而是其背后的逻辑——只有抨击中国的人才会被批准担任美国政府的职位。

It shows that the Biden administration will have to be alert to Sino-US relations being hijacked by the anti-China mob in Congress who wish to lynch it for its audacity in stepping forward.

这说明，拜登政府必须警惕中美关系被国会中的反华实力劫持，因为他们对拜登政府向前迈进的政策施以私刑。

Burns is a veteran diplomat and knows what the job interview demands.

伯恩斯是一位资深外交官，知道担任该职位的“面试”需要什么。

In fact, on different occasions over the past few years, he has argued China is not an enemy but a partner to work with for the US to address global challenges, and he has observed that diplomacy is about human relations.

事实上，在过去几年的不同场合，伯恩斯都曾表示中国不是敌人，而是美国应对全球挑战的合作伙伴，而他发现外交关乎人际关系。

He will know that although his fry-the-cold-rice speech might win him a warm response and the confirmation of the Senate, taking that line when he arrives in Beijing will not be in the best interest of Sino-US ties.

他会知道，虽然他炒冷饭的讲话可能会为他赢得热烈的反响和参议院的确认，但在他抵达北京时采取这一立场并不符合中美关系的最佳利益。

When he was nominated for the post in August, the Chinese foreign ministry expressed the hope that he will play a constructive role in promoting the healthy development of Sino-US relations, which shows the broad space he will have if he is really committed to improving bilateral relations.

8月伯恩斯被提名该职位时，中国外交部表示，希望他为促进中美关系健康发展发挥建设性作用，可见他若真正致力于改善双边关系，将拥有广阔空间。

Burns should cherish that positive reception from Beijing and take it as an invitation to work to improve relations with China.

伯恩斯应该珍惜北京的积极态度，并将其视为改善对华关系的邀请。

With his rich work and research experience related to the Cold War and Soviet Union, Burns must be well aware of the essential differences between the situations now and then, and he can faithfully fulfill his role as an interlocutor by making them clear to Washington.

凭借在冷战和苏联方面的丰富工作和研究经验，伯恩斯必须清楚地意识到现在和当时情况之间的本质差异，并且可以通过向华盛顿清楚地说明这一点，来忠实地履行他作为对话者的角色。

Both sides should take concrete actions to implement the consensuses the two leaders reached during their phone talk in September, and carry forward the positive momentum bilateral relations have demonstrated since then.

双方要以实际行动落实两国元首9月通话中达成的共识，发扬此后两国关系呈现出的积极势头。

Hopefully Burns, if confirmed in the post, will be a promoter, not saboteur, of bilateral ties, and a bridge, not a hurdle, for exchanges.

如果伯恩斯的提名得到确认，希望他将成为双边关系的推动者，而不是破坏者，是交流的桥梁，而不是障碍。