The US and South Korea have begun their annual joint military exercises, heightening tensions with Pyongyang that earlier this month threatened to erupt into a potential nuclear conflict.
美國和韓國已開始年度聯(lián)合軍事演習(xí)，這將加劇與朝鮮的緊張關(guān)系。本月早些時候，朝鮮威脅將引爆一場潛在的核沖突。
The reclusive regime in North Korea regularly lambasts the Ulchi-Freedom Guardian manoeuvres, saying they are a rehearsal for invasion. This year has been no different, with North Korean state media threatening “merciless strikes” against the US if provoked.
朝鮮政府經(jīng)常抨擊美韓“乙支自由衛(wèi)士”(Ulchi-Freedom Guardian)演習(xí)（注：題圖為韓國警察參加“乙支自由衛(wèi)士”演習(xí)），稱這是侵略演練。今年并無不同，朝鮮官方媒體威脅稱，如被挑釁將對美國展開“無情打擊”。
However, the number of US troops involved in this year’s war games has been cut to 17,500 from 25,000 in 2016, a move that James Mattis, US defence secretary, denied could be interpreted as pandering to Pyongyang.
然而，參加今年軍演的美軍數(shù)量從2016年的2.5萬人降至1.75萬人，美國國防部長詹姆斯?馬蒂斯(James Mattis)否認(rèn)此舉可被解讀為迎合朝鮮。
“The numbers are by design to achieve the exercise objectives, and you always pick what you want to emphasise,” Mr Mattis said.
“人數(shù)是為了達(dá)到演練目標(biāo)而設(shè)計的，你總是會選擇你想要強調(diào)的地方，”馬蒂斯表示，“目前，我們非常強調(diào)指揮所作戰(zhàn)，因此要將各方面的努力融合起來�！�
“At present, there is a heavy emphasis on command post operations, so the integration of all the different efforts.”
與一年一度的“禿鷲”(Foal Eagle)聯(lián)合軍演（包括大規(guī)模實地演練）不同，“乙支自由衛(wèi)士”軍演基于電腦化模擬，官員們表示，這種演習(xí)屬于防御性質(zhì)。
Unlike the annual Foal Eagle drills that involve extensive field manoeuvres, the Ulchi-FreedomGuardian war games are based on computerised simulations that officials say are defensive innature.
上周日，朝鮮官方媒體批評美國，稱這些演習(xí)是“缺乏基本判斷的魯莽行為”。
On Sunday, North Korean state media criticised the US, calling the exercises “a reckless actbereft of even elementary judgment”.
朝鮮的聲明稱：“特朗普集團宣布針對朝鮮展開不計后果的核戰(zhàn)爭演習(xí)，還有叫囂‘?dāng)厥仔袆印ⅰ厥馊蝿?wù)’、‘先發(fā)制人攻擊朝鮮’以及‘預(yù)防性戰(zhàn)爭’，這些都是魯莽的行為，將把當(dāng)前局勢推入不可控制的核戰(zhàn)爭階段�！�
“The Trump group’s declaration of the reckless nuclear war exercises against the DPRK alongwith the vociferous call for the ‘beheading operation’, ‘special operation’, ‘pre-emptive attackon the North’ and ‘preventative war’, is reckless behaviour driving the situation into theuncontrollable phase of a nuclear war,” said the statement, referring to North Korea by itsofficial abbreviation.
美國和韓國拒絕了中國和俄羅斯提出的聯(lián)合提議：暫停軍演，換取朝鮮凍結(jié)核和彈道導(dǎo)彈試射計劃。
Both the US and South Korea have rejected a joint proposal from China and Russia tosuspend military exercises in exchange for a freeze in North Korea’s nuclear and ballisticmissile tests.
美韓聯(lián)合軍演高度隱秘，但據(jù)信，其中包括模擬戰(zhàn)場以及衛(wèi)星圖像，以推斷朝鮮軍隊駐地和金正恩(Kim JongUn)的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)風(fēng)格。除了1.75萬美軍，預(yù)計有數(shù)萬名韓國人參加，還有來自英國、澳大利亞、丹麥和哥倫比亞的士兵。
