Name and purpose to be determined

本帖最后由 lynn_1011 于 2011-8-15 09:35 编辑 China's aircraft-carrier  中国航母 Name and purpose to be determined  目标尚不明确，名称尚未确立 The Chinese navy takes a much-heralded step forward but its intentions are vague 中国海军向前垮了一大步，但目标不明b] Aug 13th 2011 | BEIJING | from the print edition  It's definitely big, and it floats 体型庞大，尚能漂浮 ON AUGUST 10th, after years of secretive work, the Chinese navy launched its first aircraft-carrier on its maiden voyage. The Chinese media hailed the vessel as a sign of China's emergence as a sea power, one they insist has only peaceful intent. Its neighbours are not so delighted. 历经几年隐秘作业之后，八月十日，中国首架航母终于迎来了它的处女游。中国媒体高呼这航母是中国海军王国的象征，但同时坚称其目的只是维护和平。邻国们可没那么欢欣。 State-controlled media had been predicting the ship's imminent launch for weeks, prompting Chinese military enthusiasts to converge on the north-eastern port city of Dalian in the hope of seeing it set out. One newspaper said a fire escape on a nearby IKEA store was a good vantage point, but the Chinese navy kept quiet about when the date would be. 官方媒体早在几个星期前就开始预计航母的始航时间，这促使中国的军事爱好者齐聚东北沿海城市大连，希望一睹其风采。某报纸称附近的宜家家私的太平梯是观看的有利位置，但中国海军闭口不谈出海日期。 It has reason to be diffident. The ship is hardly a symbol of China's prowess in technology. It was bought in 1998 from Ukraine, where it had been rusting half-finished since its first launch a decade earlier. The Ukrainians were told it would be used as a floating casino (they sold it without weapons or engines). But unlike two other ex-Soviet carriers in China that ended up as theme parks, this one was taken to a navy shipyard where, in 2005, it got a telltale coat of Chinese military paint. It was not until July that China confirmed it had been refitting the ship. 中国有理由低调。这航母很难说得上展现了中国的科技实力。1998年从乌克兰买来该航母，那时候它还是锈迹斑斑的半成品，距离其上一次首航已有十年。中国告诉乌克兰，这艘船将用作海上娱乐场（成交时，这艘船不带武器和发动机）。但跟另两艘最后沦为主题公园的前苏联航母不同，这艘船被运往海军建造厂。2005年，其船身被涂上了迷彩漆。直到七月份中国才承认在改造这艘船。 China has been mulling plans to build an aircraft-carrier since at least the 1970s. Officials debated how useful one would be in a conflict over Taiwan, the military planners' main preoccupation until a few years ago. Land-based aircraft and missiles could be deployed easily across the Taiwan Strait. But in the past decade China has become more focused on acquiring the means to project power farther afield, the better to defend shipping lanes, it says, and to help relief efforts. 至少从七十年代开始，中国就在酝酿建一艘航母。官员认为，与台湾作战的话，拥有一艘航母将多么有利，几年前台海作战就成了军事策划家的头等大事。有了航母，地基飞机与导弹穿越台湾海峡的话将很容易部署。然而过去十年来，中国更加专注于在远离国土的地方扩大实力，它说是为了更好的防卫航道以及进行救灾工作。 Other countries in the region believe China also wants to assert territorial claims in the South China Sea more vigorously. Vietnam and the Philippines have been complaining in recent months about what they see as a more aggressive posture by China in that area. There had been speculation that the aircraft-carrier would be launched in time for the Communist Party's 90th birthday on July 1st. It is possible that its leaders decided that a lower-key affair a few weeks later might avoid stoking the neighbours' suspicions. 周边国家认为中国对南海更加虎视眈眈，想在这里宣布主权。近几个月来越南和菲律宾一直抱怨他们看到的是更加野心勃勃的中国。早就有人估计这艘航母会在七月一日中共90周年庆当天试航。而中国领导最终决定选在几个星期后低调出行，可能是为了避免加重邻国的疑虑。 For the time being the region's pre-eminent naval power, America, is showing little sign of concern. The Chinese carrier's actual deployment might yet be years away. China will take longer still to gain the expertise needed to deploy a carrier-based battle group, with all its supporting vessels. It is reportedly building two more aircraft-carriers (from scratch, this time). But the Americans worry more about other bits of China's rapidly improving arsenal, from carrier-busting missiles to submarines and land-based fighter jets. 目前，该地段的海上霸王――美国――似乎不怎么关心这事。中国航母的实际部署工作可能还需几年时间，而中国要获得专业技术――来对建立在航母及其援助舰队基础上的战队进行部署――则需要更长的时间。据说中国将会多建两艘航母（这次全部自己动工）。但美国更担心的是中国快速成长的军械厂――从有爆破杀伤力的航母武器到潜水艇和路基战斗机。 Unlike the Soviets, the Chinese appear not to be trying to match the size and capability of America's huge fleet. Officials describe the aircraft-carrier programme partly as a prestige project. China has been acutely conscious of being the only permanent member of the United Nations without a carrier. Its rival India has long had one. Thailand has one too. Japan, another rival, has a carrier for helicopters that could be adapted for fighters. 与苏联不通，中国似乎并不打算与美国庞大船队比大小或者比能力。官员形容这次航母计划有一部分是为了树立威信。中国深知自己是联合国常任理事国中唯一没有航母的。其对手印度早就拥有一艘了；泰国也有一艘；而另一个对手日本拥有一艘为适合直升机起降的航母――这航母还可用于起降战斗机。 China's ship does not yet have a name. In Soviet hands it was the Varyag (a sister ship is the only operational carrier in Russia's navy). Chinese internet users have made many suggestions. Some believe it should be named after a province. Chinese heroes are also popular, especially Shi Lang, a Chinese admiral who conquered Taiwan in the 17th century. Officials would be wise to avoid that one. 中国还未为其航母命名。苏联将其称为Varyag(这艘姐妹船是俄罗斯海军中唯一能够使用的航母)。中国网民提了很多建议，其中有人认为应该以某个省份来为其命名；中国英雄也很受欢迎，尤其是施琅――17世纪征服台湾的海军将领。中国官员够聪明的话，就会避开这一名字。 from the print edition | Asia