China's Defense Ministry warned the U.S. that bilateral military relations would face “severe obstacles” as a result of its decision to upgrade Taiwan's fighter jets, but Beijing appeared to have stopped short of suspending defense ties as it did the day after the last arms package was unveiled in January 2010.

　　中國國防部警告美國，因美國做出升級臺灣戰斗機的決定，兩國軍事關系將面臨“嚴重障礙”。但北京似乎并沒有像2010年1月份上一套軍售方案公布之后那樣中斷兩國間的防務聯系。

　　The upgrades─which some analysts suggested was a compromise agreed in advance with Beijing─also appeared not to have affected a visit to Beijing by Steven Chu, the U.S. Energy Secretary, who said the issue wasn't raised in his meetings with Chinese officials Thursday. In the past, China has often voiced protests over Taiwan, Tibet and other sensitive issues in meetings not directly related to the subject.

　　升級臺灣戰斗機的決定似乎并沒有影響美國能源部長朱棣文(Steven Chu)對北京的訪問。朱棣文說，周四他和中國官員的會談期間，這個問題沒有被談起。中國過去常常在沒有直接關系的會談期間就臺灣、西藏和其他敏感議題表示抗議。一些分析人士認為，這次對臺灣戰斗機的升級是美方與北京事先達成的一個妥協方案。

　　The Obama administration informed Congress Wednesday that it would sell Taiwan $5.3 billion of arms, consisting mainly of upgrades for the island's existing Lockheed Martin F-16 A/B fighter jets rather than the new F-16 C/Ds that it was also seeking.

　　奧巴馬政府周三告訴國會，它將向臺灣出售53億美元的武器，其中主要是對臺灣已經擁有的洛克希德•馬丁(Lockheed Martin) F-16 A/B型戰斗機進行升級，而不是出售臺灣希望得到的新型F-16 C/D戰機。

　　That prompted some U.S. lawmakers to accuse the White House of placing commercial ties with China─the world's second-largest economy and the biggest holder of U.S. debt─ahead of Washington's legal commitment to help Taiwan defend itself.

　　美國部分議員為此指責白宮，說它把對華商業關系置于華盛頓幫助臺灣保衛自己的法定義務之前。中國是世界第二大經濟體，也是美國國債的最大持有人。

　　The U.S. has tried to stabilize military ties with China since they resumed in January this year, and Chinese experts had predicted that Beijing would stop short of suspending them again if the U.S. didn't cross what they call a “red line” by selling Taiwan the new F-16 C/Ds. Beijing considers Taiwan a rebel province.

　　兩國軍事關系在今年1月份恢復以來，美國努力維持其穩定，而中國專家也曾預計，如果美國不跨越向臺灣出售F-16 C/D戰機的“紅線”，那么北京就不會中斷兩軍關系。

　　China's initial public response matched those predictions. Its Foreign Ministry summoned the new U.S. ambassador, Gary Locke, late on Wednesday to lodge an official protest, according to the Foreign Ministry and the U.S. Embassy.

　　中國的初次公開回應符合這些預期。據中國外交部和美國駐華大使館說，外交部周三晚間召集新任駐華大使駱家輝(Gary Locke)發出正式抗議。

　　On Thursday, China's Defense Ministry said in a statement on its website that it had also summoned the acting military attache at the U.S. embassy.

　　中國國防部周四在其網站上發表聲明說，它也召集了美國駐華大使館一位代理武官。

　　“Rather than working with China to consolidate and expand the positive growth of bilateral military ties, the U.S. again announced plans to sell arms to Taiwan, which will create severe obstacles for normal military-to-military exchanges,” the statement quoted Defense Ministry spokesman Geng Yansheng as saying.

　　聲明援引國防部發言人耿雁生的話說，美方不但沒有與中方一道“鞏固、擴大”兩軍關系的積極勢頭，反而再次宣布對臺軍售計劃，“將給兩軍開展正常交往制造嚴重障礙”。

　　“Reality has proved that the United States should be held fully accountable for damaging China-U.S. military relations,” he said. The U.S. Embassy confirmed the Defense Ministry summons, but declined to provide details.

　　耿雁生說：“事實證明，破壞中美兩軍關系發展的責任完全在美方。”美國駐華大使館證實中國國防部召集武官的事情，但拒絕提供具體情況。

　　Analysts said the U.S. decision might still adversely affect defense exchanges, or other parts of the relationship, especially if Chinese leaders come under pressure internally, or from nationalistic online commentators, to issue a more robust response.

　　分析人士說，美國的決定可能對防務交流或兩軍關系的其他方面產生不良影響，特別是如果中國領導人因為內部的壓力、或網上民族主義言論而做出更強烈回應的話。

　　But several analysts said both sides appeared to have agreed in advance on a compromise that would allow them to maintain defense exchanges and avoid another crisis in relations in the sensitive run-up to a Communist Party leadership change in China next year. Vice President Xi Jinping, who is expected to take over as party chief next year and president in 2013, is expected to make his first official visit to the U.S. early next year.

　　但多位分析人士說，雙方似乎已經事先達成妥協，因此它們將能夠維持防務交流，并避免在中共領導人明年換屆前的敏感時期再次發生危機。有望于明年當上黨總書記并于2013年當上國家主席的現任國家副主席習近平，預計會在明年年初赴美國開展他的第一次正式訪問。

　　Asked about the Chinese reaction, Denny Roy, a senior fellow and expert on Asian security issues at the East-West Center in Hawaii, said: “I thought it was amazingly mild. It suggests that the U.S. and China have worked out a way of discussing these things in advance.”

　　夏威夷東西方中心(East-West Center)高級研究員、亞洲安全事務專家饒義(Denny Roy)說，中國的反應驚人的溫和；它說明美國和中國已經找到了事先討論這些事情的途徑。

　　He and other analysts said the real impact on military ties would become evident in the coming weeks and months, as China and the U.S. are due to hold joint antipiracy exercises in the Gulf of Aden before the end of the year.

　　他和另外一些分析人士說，中國和美國按計劃要于年內在亞丁灣舉行聯合反海盜演習，所以兩軍關系受到的真正影響將會在接下來幾周、幾個月變得明朗起來。

　　The two sides are also due to conduct talks on maritime safety and cooperation at the U.S. Pacific Command in Hawaii, as well as senior military medical exchanges in Washington, D.C., Hawaii and Texas, although precise dates haven't been announced.

　　按計劃，雙方還要在夏威夷美國太平洋司令部(Pacific Command)舉行海上安全與合作方面的會談，還要在華盛頓特區、夏威夷和得克薩斯州舉行高級別的軍事醫學交流，但具體日期沒有公布。

　　U.S officials say China confirmed those plans during a visit by Adm. Mike Mullen, the U.S. chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to Beijing in July, and also committed to future humanitarian assistance and disaster relief exchanges and joint exercises in 2012.

　　美國官員說，中國在美國參謀長聯席會議主席 (Joint Chiefs of Staff)穆倫(Mike Mullen)7月份訪問北京期間確認了這些計劃，并承諾在將來開展人道救援和救災方面的交流并在2012年舉行聯合軍事演習。