张砚
By Zhang Yan
当地时间5月12日至13日，经历了一波三折的美国-东盟特别峰会，在美国首都华盛顿召开。此次峰会恰逢美国与东盟建立关系45周年，美国方面表面上给予高度重视。拜登表示，“东盟国家及美国-东盟的关系就是未来”。副总统哈里斯也声称，美国“将世世代代参与东南亚事务”。
The long-postponed US-ASEAN Special Summit was finally held in Washington on May 12 and 13, local time. Being held on the 45th anniversary of ASEAN-US Dialogue Relations, the summit received a lot of attention from the US government – on the surface. Biden said, "ASEAN countries and our relationship with you is the future in the coming years and decades", and American Vice President Harris said, "The United States will be present and continue to be engaged in Southeast Asia for generations to come".
在许多观察人士看来，此次峰会是拜登政府推进“印太战略”的重要举措。在峰会前后，拜登政府一直要求东盟国家加入对俄制裁，并多次渲染“中国威胁论”，推销“印太战略”，妄图挑动对立对抗，拉拢东盟国家加入自己的“小圈子”，构建对华“包围圈”。
Observers take the summit as an important event for the Biden administration to push its "Indo-Pacific strategy". Both before and after the summit, Washington kept asking ASEAN countries to join the sanction against Russia, repeatedly hyped up the "China threat theory", and peddled its "Indo-Pacific strategy", trying to instigate hostility and confrontation and rope ASEAN countries into its "clique", thus forming a ring of besiegement around China.
然而，对于美国的如意算盘，东盟国家并不买账。由于多数东盟国家都在俄乌问题上保持相对中立的态度，峰会后发表的联合声明中并没有出现谴责俄罗斯的表述。在对华问题上，美国妄图笼络东盟共同围堵中国的打算也遭到失败。东盟轮值主席国柬埔寨方面明确表示，柬埔寨不会在美国和中国之间选边站。越南总理范明政也表示，在独立和依赖之间，越南始终本着“没有什么比独立自由更可贵”的精神，选择独立。
But ASEAN countries didn't dance to America's tune. As most of them remained relatively neutral on the Russia-Ukraine issue, the joint statement released after the summit didn't include any condemnations of Russia. Washington's attempt to gang up with ASEAN against China fell flat too. Cambodia, the rotating chair of ASEAN, made it clear that it would not take sides between China and the US, while Vietnam's Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính said his country always chooses independence over dependence, following their founding spirit that "nothing is more precious than independence and freedom".
东盟的选择，源于战略上的清醒与对美国霸权实质的洞察。鉴于历史上的经验教训，东盟国家普遍珍视国家主权，坚持独立自主的外交政策。美国打着“合作”的幌子、抛出“援助”的诱饵，以此来推行“印太战略”，实质是要让东盟国家听令行事，把东南亚打造成美国对华战略竞争的前沿地带。
ASEAN countries made their decisions based on strategic sobriety and insight into American hegemony. Because of historical experience and lessons, ASEAN countries value their national sovereignty and adhere to independent foreign policies. They know perfectly well that while the US is proposing cooperation or offering aid in the efforts to promote the "Indo-Pacific strategy", what it really wants to do is keep the ASEAN members at its service and turn Southeast Asia into a forefront of its strategic competition against China.
然而，东盟地区既不需要“教师爷”，也不需要“救世主”。对于东盟及其成员国来说，在大国之间保持外交独立，奉行平衡和中立战略，能够最大限度地提升自身地位和战略利益，也更加符合自身总体利益。
But ASEAN doesn't need a "preacher" or a "savior". Maintaining diplomatic independence and following a balanced and neutral strategy around the major powers can best elevate their position and serve their strategic and overall interests.
珍视地区和平与稳定，才能创造良好发展环境。和平是发展的前提，动乱只会带来灾难。俄乌冲突不仅让乌克兰陷入苦难的深渊，也让捆绑在美国战车上的欧洲国家付出巨大社会和经济代价。而不断煽风点火的美国，却趁机坐收渔利。这一现实再次让东盟看清了美国挑起争端制造对抗的险恶用心，认识到美国强推“印太战略”只会带来对立和紧张，影响地区合作和发展。不愿陷入对抗与战争的东盟国家，自然拒绝充当美国的“马前卒”。
Only when countries cherish regional peace and stability can they create a favorable environment for development. Peace is the precondition for development, and turmoil will only bring disaster. The Russia-Ukraine conflict has not only thrown the latter into a hell of suffering, but also taken a heavy social and economic toll on European countries that are tied to America's chariot, leaving only the perpetrator and the troublemaker to fish in troubled waters. This once again opened ASEAN’s eyes to America's ill intention of starting conflicts and confrontation, and to the fact that the US-pushed "Indo-Pacific strategy" will only lead to hostility and tension, and undermine regional cooperation and development. They don’t want to bring themselves into conflict and war and consequently refuse to serve as America's pawn.
与美国推行“价值观外交”、搞“小圈子”相比，中国始终坚定支持东盟团结和东盟共同体建设，尊重东盟在区域架构中的中心地位，支持东盟在地区和国际事务中发挥更大的作用。目前，中国与东盟已经发展成为最全面、最具实质内涵、最为互利共赢的战略伙伴。美国则秉持过时的冷战思维，企图通过“三边安全伙伴关系”“四边机制”等构建封闭排他的地缘政治“小圈子”。这种行径与地区国家求和平发展、促合作共赢的共同愿望背道而驰，注定是没有前途的。
In contrast to America's "value-based diplomacy" and "gang-forming", China has firmly supported ASEAN's unity and the construction of an ASEAN community, respected its central position in the regional architecture, and endorsed it in playing a bigger role in regional and international affairs. The two sides have developed the most comprehensive, substantial, and mutually beneficial strategic partnership, whereas the US, clinging to its outdated Cold War mentality, is still trying to form an exclusive and enclosed geopolitical "clique" through the AUKUS and Quad mechanisms. Washington's behaviors are bound to hit a dead end because they run counter to regional countries' common wish for peace, development, and win-win cooperation.
任性“毁约”“退群”、大肆囤积疫苗、滥施“长臂管辖”、到处煽风点火……美国近年来的种种做派，使其自私自利、霸凌霸道的丑陋嘴脸暴露得日益清晰。如果再不反思自己的言行，美国的霸权行径只会遭到更多的拒绝和破产。
Pulling back from international organizations, hoarding vaccines, abusing "long-arm jurisdiction", and fanning flames everywhere…Uncle Sam's selfish, self-centered moves in recent years have laid bare its bullying character, which will lead it to more opposition, objection and condemnation if it didn’t make some serious self-reflection.
