Chinese government media respond to recent Libyan rebel comments

[S10]

The article below was published by Global Times yesterday. Global Times is a private media group in China, although it has significant degree of government connection. Most consider it a quasi-government news source. The Chinese government often uses it to publish things that are too politically incorrect to say on its official Xinhua agency. I translated the thing for your viewing pleasure.

Recently, Libyan rebels accused China of selling arms to Gaddafi back in July, and that China was blocking the unfreezing of Libyan assets formerly held by Gaddafi. Furthermore, Libyan rebels hinted that China and Russia would lose future access to Libyan oil and construction projects, citing lack of support from othese two countries during the war. From the strong words in this article, it seems the Chinese government has lost patience with rebel's claims, as well as their recent statements.

-----------------------------------------------------------

西方广为散布中国曾在7月份准备向卡扎菲政权出售军火的谣言，利比亚反对派、国家过渡委员会的官员们是这个谣言的推动者。此前该委员会的头面人物公开抱怨中国“阻挠解冻利比亚海外资产”，指责中国“在极力讨价还价”。在这前后他们还不断放风要“用石油惩罚中国、俄罗斯”。这些不像是成熟政权高级官员的言行。

There is a wide spread rumour in the West regarding sales of arms from China to Gaddafi in July. Libya's opposition and NTC officials were pushing the same rumours. Currently they are accusing China of blocking the unfreezing of oversea Libyan assets and using the said assets as a negotiation chip. Furthermore, they threatened future oil and construction contracts against China and Russia. These are not the behaviours expected of proper government officials.

中国尚未正式承认国家过渡委员会为利比亚合法政权，仅凭这一点，中国对是否解冻利比亚海外资产，态度不可能和西方一样。利反对派获得军事上的胜利，但接下来他们需要证明自己能够建立一个负责任的、稳定的政权。这个世界不仅有英法及美国这样热衷干预国际事务的国家，还有中俄这样相对中立的大国，利比亚反对派若要成为合格的国际成员，就应把他们的“世界观”扳正。

China has yet to recognize the legitimacy of NTC (Libyan National Transitional Council). From this point alone, China cannot take the same stand as the West. More than just military victories, rebels need to demonstrate they can build a stable and responsible regime. While world has Britain, France and United States as countries that like to intervene, there are relatively neutral China and Russia also. If Libyan rebels wish to be a proper member of the international community, they need to re-examine their world view.

中国无意与利比亚反对派过不去，但中国更没有兴趣讨好它。中国有自己的国家关系准则，这个准则被运用于中国与很多国际关系巨人的交道中，它不可能对利比亚一个小国“折腰”。中国要求利反对派保护中国在该国的利益，这个要求名正言顺，如果利反对派无视这一要求，它付出代价是必然的。

China has no intention to oppose the Libyan rebels, but China is not interested in kissing its backside either. China has its own rules of conducts in international relations, which it uses to deal with great powers. These rules will not be bend for a small country like Libya. China demands its existing interests be protected in Libya. If the rebels ignore the demands, then paying the price is almost certain.

利反对派近来的一些言论，让人怀疑他们被军事胜利冲昏了头脑。他们针对中国的一些表态有要挟甚至讹诈的味道，这种不冷静有点像当年春风得意时的卡扎菲。

Recent comments by the rebels makes people suspect the string of military successes has gotten to their heads. Their comments towards China contains elements of both threat and blackmail, similar to how Gaddafi conducted himself when he was at the height of his power.

事实上，中国上周四已同意解冻价值150亿美元的利比亚海外资产，用来解利比亚民生重建的燃眉之急。这已是中国发出的善意信号。利比亚的海外资产总额高达1700亿美元，它们属于利比亚全国人民，中国5日要求利比亚反对派进一步明确有关资金用途和监管机制，中国的这一认真态度无可挑剔。

The fact is, China had already agreed to unfreeze $15 billion dollar Libyan oversea assets to help with reconstruction last Thursday. That was a friendly signal sent by China. The total worth of Libyan oversea assets are 170 billion, which belongs to all Libyans. China's request on the August 5th to the rebels to show transparency in how it handles the funds is a responsible one.

在冷战后这些年里，有不止一个发生政局变化的小国，新政权在上台之初对中国采取生硬态度，有的甚至拿与台湾建交要挟中国，但那些国家后来都重调了对华态度。希望利比亚反对派多读一些国际政治案例，避免在对华关系上走弯路。

Since the cold war, there have been several small countries that had dramatic changes in their political landscape. The new regimes took hardline stance against China when they got into power, some even went as far as threaten to develop formal relationship with Taiwan. However, all of them changed their tones later. We hope Libyan rebels learn these lessons, and avoid mistakes when dealing with China.

利比亚政权更迭，决不意味它原有的国际协议都成了废纸，统统都可不予履行。利新政权此前有人表态称，将遵守利比亚原有的国际义务，希望此言是该国新政权的共识，而并非如同此前他们宣布的一些战报那样易碎。

Simply because of regime change in Libya, does not mean previous international agreements they signed become scrap papers. Rebels stated they would honour the agreements. We hope this is the solid consensus of the new government, and doesn't break apart as easily as their claims of military victory.

利比亚国内政治大变，国际政治的大格局却依然如故，利比亚在世界上的利益位置不可能有大的移动，它跟各大国的关系也不可能像过家家一样任意调动。今天围绕利比亚的国际政治氛围具有很强的临时性，准确地说它只是一个瞬间。这个道理利比亚的新执政者或者主动预见到，或者通过未来的一个个“跟头”逐渐搞明白。

Libyan's internal landscape changed drastically, but internationally the key players remain the same. The importance of Libya will not significantly shift, and its relations with great powers cannot shift easily either. Today's Libyan situation is highly volatile, and could change easily. We hope new Libyan government recognize the reality, or they could learn the hard way.

中国是利比亚的朋友，因为非洲的几乎所有国家都是中国的朋友。只要利比亚反对派不极力做一个例外，他们与中国的关系必将一步步扭正捋直。

China is Libya's friend, like nearly all countries in Africa are China's friends. As long as Libyan rebels do not try to be an exception, their relationship with China will be straighten out eventually.

»·Çòʱ±¨ÉçÆÀ£ºÀû±ÈÑÇ·´¶ÔÅÉÓ¦°âÕý¡°ÊÀ½ç¹Û¡±_ÐÂÎÅÖÐÐÄ_ÐÂÀËÍø