04-02-08

保尔森对中国官员表达对西藏关注 (Paulson Expresses Concern to Chinese Officials About Tibet)

美国财政部长保尔森说， 他对中国领导人表达了对最近西藏暴力情况的关注。保尔森星期三在北京说，他呼吁中国官员通过对话寻求和平解决西藏的动荡。

美国财长在和中国国家主席胡锦涛以及外交部长杨洁篪会晤后发表上述看法。保尔森财长没有说明，与胡锦涛和杨洁篪的会谈是否涉及到西藏问题。他只说他与“有关人员”讨论了西藏问题。

保尔森是自中国当局上个月开始镇压西藏以及其他地方爆发的暴力抗议活动之后访问中国的最高级别美国官员。

U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson says he has expressed concern to Chinese officials about recent violence in Tibet. Paulson said Wednesday in Beijing that he appealed to the Chinese officials to seek a peaceful resolution of the unrest in Tibet through dialogue.

The U.S. treasury secretary was speaking after talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao and Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi. Paulson did not say if those meetings covered the Tibet issue. He said only that he discussed Tibet with the "appropriate people."

Paulson is the most senior U.S. official to visit China since Chinese authorities began cracking down on violent protests that erupted in Tibet and other parts of China last month.

中国西部维族穆斯林抗议 (Ethnic Muslims Protest in Western China)

中国穆斯林人口占多数的新疆维吾尔自治区的有关当局证实，3月底发生了抗议活动。媒体最初报导说，抗议发生在和田地区，持续了两天。维族穆斯林要求有关当局撤销一项可能禁止佩戴传统头巾的禁令。他们还要求结束对维吾尔族人的酷刑，并释放所有政治犯。

但是，当局针对这个抗议活动指责试图在新疆建立独立伊斯兰国家的“分离主义分子”。北京声称伊斯兰恐怖分子在新疆地区活动，并提到上个月一名穆斯林妇女试图劫持从新疆起飞的一架中国客机。媒体还报导说，在一个富有的维族玉石商人和慈善家在警方囚禁期间死亡后，发生了抗议活动。

Authorities in China's Muslim-dominated western region of Xinjiang have confirmed protests took place there late March. Media reports initially said the protests occurred over two days in Khotan prefecture. Muslim Uighurs were demanding authorities scrap a possible ban on wearing traditional head scarves. They also called for an end to the torture of ethnic Uighurs and the release of all political prisoners.

But authorities blame the demonstrations on "splittist" elements who are trying to establish a separate Islamic nation in Xinjiang. Beijing says Islamic terrorists are operating in the region, citing last month's attempted hijacking of a Chinese passenger plane from Xinjiang by a Muslim woman. Media reports also say the protests began after the death in police custody of a wealthy Uighur jade trader and philanthropist.