10-18-2005

美防長質疑中國增加國防開支動機 (U.S. Defense Secretary Questions China's Motives Behind Increased Military Spending)

美國國防部長拉姆斯菲爾德對中國明顯加大軍費預算背後的動機提出置疑，但是他也籲請北京在全球安全事務中發揮更大的作用。拉姆斯菲爾德星期二抵達北京，將會見中國高層領導人並參觀一些軍事設施。

拉姆斯菲爾德在抵達北京之前表示，一些國家不理解為什麼北京看來在增加國防開支而又不承認。他的這番話沒有他在6月份時發表的評論那麼鋒芒畢露。當時他說，中國增強軍事開支會威脅亞洲安全的平衡。

中國否認加強軍備的指稱，說預算增加是為了改進軍人的生活待遇。五角大樓估計，中國今年的軍費開支可能為900億美元，是中國公佈數字的將近三倍。

U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has questioned China's motives behind its apparently increased military budget, but he has also invited Beijing to play a larger role in global security. Rumsfeld arrived in Beijing Tuesday, for meetings with top leaders and tours of military facilities.

Before arriving, Rumsfeld said some countries wonder why China seems to be increasing defense spending without acknowledging it. The remark was less confrontational than his comment in June that Beijing's military spending increase could threaten the balance of security in Asia.

China has dismissed the allegations of a military buildup, saying the budget increase was for improving living conditions of military personnel. The Pentagon estimates China is spending 90-billion dollars on defense this year --- nearly three times what China disclosed.

歐盟稱禽流感是“全球威脅” (EU Calls Bird Flu 'Global Threat')

歐盟各國外交部長說，禽流感是一個全球威脅，需要廣泛的國際合作來控制。希臘星期一成為報告發現禽流感病例的第一個歐盟國家，在愛琴海一個小島的一隻火雞體內發現這種病毒。

羅馬尼亞官員星期二說，在靠近烏克蘭邊境的地方發現一隻天鵝體內有禽流感抗體。目前還不知道這種病毒是不是致命的H5N1病毒。2003年以來，H5N1病毒在亞洲地區導致60多人死亡。俄羅斯、土耳其和保加利亞也在禽類體內發現了這種病毒。

同時，生產用於治療人類禽流感的“達菲”疫苗(TAMIFLU)的瑞士羅氏(Roche)公司說，它正在增加產量，並將開始允許其他公司或政府生產這種疫苗。

European Union foreign ministers say bird flu is a global threat requiring broad international cooperation to contain. Greece on Monday became the first EU country to report a case of bird flu, in a turkey on an Aegean island.

Romanian officials said Tuesday that bird flu antibodies have been detected in a swan near the Ukraine border. It is not known if either of the new cases is the H5N1strain of avian influenza that has killed more than 60 people in Asia since 2003. The deadly strain also has been found in birds in Russia, Turkey and Bulgaria.

Meanwhile, the Swiss company (Roche) that makes the drug Tamiflu, used to treat bird flu in humans, said it is increasing production and will begin allowing other firms or governments to produce the drug as well.