新加坡副總理 TPP垮臺將象徵美國撤出亞太

Failure to ratify the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal would be a “major setback” for the standing of the US in Asia, Singapore’s deputy leader has said, underlining concerns in the region that America's Pacific pivot is in trouble.

新加坡副總理尚達曼（Tharman Shanmugaratnam，上圖）表示，美國若不能批准《跨太平洋夥伴關係協定》(TPP)，其在亞洲的地位將遭受“重大挫折”。這番表態凸顯出，該地區擔心美國重返亞太戰略正陷入困境。

America’s Asian allies fear the collapse of the deal will become an emblem of a US retreat from the Pacific.

美國的亞洲盟友們擔心，TPP的垮臺將成爲美國從亞太撤退的象徵。

Anxiety over China's mounting influence in Asia was compounded last week as the Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte announced his country’s “separation” from the US and warmer relations with Beijing.

隨着菲律賓總統羅德里戈.杜特爾特(Rodrigo Duterte)上週宣佈菲與美國“分離”並與北京方面改善關係，人們對中國在亞洲的影響力不斷上升感到更加擔心。

The 12-nation Pacific Rim trade pact has become a lightning rod for discontent over globalisation and a key issue in the US election, with both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump opposed to the deal. Chances of the trade deal receiving US congressional approval are now slim.

這份涵蓋太平洋沿岸12國的貿易協定，已成爲那些對全球化感到不滿的人的出氣筒，併成爲美國大選中的一個關鍵話題。希拉里.克林頓(Hillary Clinton)和唐納德.特朗普(Donald Trump)都對該協定持反對態度。目前，TPP在美國國會獲批的希望很渺茫。

Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Singapore’s deputy prime minister, said: “TPP is not just about direct economic benefits. It’s about a reputation for openness and wanting to engage and deepen relationships for two-way benefit.”

尚達曼(Tharman Shanmugaratnam)表示：“TPP不僅關係到直接的經濟好處，還關係到保持開放以及有意建立和加深互惠關係的聲譽。”

In a sign of the heightened concern in Asia over this year’s electoral contest in the US, he added: “Calmer minds tend to prevail after the elections. This time, we can’t be so sure.”

他接着說：“選舉過後，頭腦更冷靜的人通常會佔據上風。但這一次，我們不能如此肯定。”這番話凸顯了亞洲對今年美國大選的高度關注。

Singapore, a small economy that relies on external trade, is one of four original members of the Pacific trade grouping which led to the TPP deal. Its prime minister Lee Hsien Loong has described the TPP as a “litmus test” for US credibility in the region.

新加坡是一個依賴對外貿易的小型經濟體，是TPP前身的四個創始會員國之一。新加坡總理李顯龍(Lee Hsien Loong)將TPP稱爲美國在亞太地區信譽的一塊“試金石”。