英國擬加大對亞洲地區的防務介入
More than four decades after a sweeping British military withdrawal from bases “east of Suez”, the UK is scaling up its defence engagement in the Gulf and Asia in what analysts regard as a recognition of the region’s growing global importance.
40多年前，英國軍隊從“蘇伊士運河以東”的基地完全撤走了。如今，英國又開始加大海灣和亞洲的防務介入。分析人士認爲，此舉反映出英國對該地區的全球重要性日益增大的承認。
Britain is reopening a naval support facility in Bahrain, creating a permanent army presence in Oman and establishing new defence staff centres in Dubai and Singapore.
英國正在巴林重設一個海軍支援設施，在阿曼擁有一支常駐軍隊，並在迪拜和新加坡設立新的國防參謀中心。
RAF Typhoon jets trained with Japanese military aircraft this year; the first time Japan’s postwar air force has hosted an exercise with a nation other than the US.
英國皇家空軍(RAF)的颱風戰鬥機(Typhoon)今年跟日本軍用飛機共同訓練；這是日本空軍在戰後首次與美國以外的國家舉行演練。
And when Britain’s two new aircraft carriers are operational in a few years’ time, they will be “seen in the Pacific”, in an effort to keep sea lanes open, a senior diplomat said recently.
一位資深外交官最近說，當英國的兩艘新航母在幾年後具備作戰能力時，它們將“在太平洋遊弋”，以確保海上航道暢通。
This growing engagement reflects a desire in Britain’s governing Conservative party to think of the UK’s defence role in global rather than in European terms, according to Tim Huxley, executive director of IISS-Asia, the Singapore-based regional arm of the security thinktank.
英國國際戰略研究所亞洲分所(IISS-Asia)執行主任蒂姆.赫胥黎(Tim Huxley)表示，英國對亞洲防務介入加深反映出，該國執政的保守黨希望通過全球視野而非歐洲視野來思考本國的防務角色。
Britain’s withdrawal from Southeast Asia in the 1970s, dismaying Singapore’s then prime minister Lee Kuan Yew at a time when the city-state’s own armed forces were embryonic, marked a shift in the region towards homegrown defences.
英國在20世紀70年代從東南亞撤走——令時任新加坡總理李光耀(Lee Kuan Yew)感到沮喪，因爲當時這個城市國家自己的武裝力量正處於起步階段——標誌着該地區轉向發展本國的防禦力量。
Singapore, which now has the best-equipped military in Southeast Asia, tripled its defence spending in response to Britain’s exit and signed up to the Five Powers Defence Arrangements, a security tie-up with the UK, Malaysia, Australia and New Zealand.
如今，新加坡擁有一隻在東南亞國家中裝備最精良的軍隊。當時，爲了應對英國撤退，新加坡把國防開支增加了兩倍，並與英國、馬來西亞、澳大利亞和新西蘭訂立了一份安全聯盟——亞洲五國聯防(Five Power Defence Arrangements)。
The UK’s revitalised military engagement in recent months reflects London’s diplomatic emphasis on the region; UK Prime Minister Theresa May’s first trade mission as premier was to India. On a visit to Bahrain in December, Mrs May pledged to deepen security co-operation with Gulf countries.
英國在近幾個月加大了軍事介入力度，反映出該國在外交方面對該地區的重視；英國首相特里薩.梅(Theresa May)上任後第一次率領貿易代表團出訪的對象國是印度。12月訪問巴林時，梅承諾要加深與海灣國家之間的安全合作。
The British build-up is not overtly directed at China, a power that the UK government has worked hard to court in an effort to win Chinese investment. Instead, analysts say, Britain has sought to demonstrate its enduring military capacity on a world stage.
英國這麼做並非公然針對中國。英國政府一直在努力取悅中國，以爭取中國投資。分析師說，相反，英國尋求在世界舞臺上展示其持久的軍事能力。
There is a gap, however, between Britain’s rhetoric and a military capability that has been diminished by financial constraints. The UK’s sole surviving army garrison in Asia — Brunei — is funded not by the British taxpayer but by that country’s Sultan.
然而，英國的口頭說法和軍事能力之間存在着差距，財政制約導致其軍事能力越來越弱。英國在亞洲唯一倖存的駐軍——駐文萊部隊——的資金來源不是英國納稅人，而是該國蘇丹。
The shortcomings of Britain’s campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan — including a lack of planning and shortages of vital equipment — have raised doubts about its effectiveness. The UK retains a small contingent of troops in Afghanistan, deployed in non-combat roles.
英國在伊拉克和阿富汗作戰行動的缺陷，包括缺乏規劃和缺少關鍵裝備，使人對其行動效力產生懷疑。英國在阿富汗保留了一支小型部隊，用於履行非戰鬥職能。
