Hindi English Translation || Editorial || Cooling the temperatures: On U.S.-China relations after Pelosi’s Taiwan visit

Cooling the temperatures: On U.S.-China relations after Pelosi’s Taiwan visit

The U.S., China and Taiwan are left picking up the pieces after Nancy Pelosi’s visit

That the four-day military exercises (अभ्यास, युद्धाभ्यास) conducted by China, in the waters and airspace surrounding Taiwan, concluded on August 7 without incident (घटना, टकराव, झड़प) comes as a relief to the region. The drills saw the Chinese military not only cross the median (मध्य बिंदु, मंझला, केंद्र) of the Taiwan Strait but fire conventional (पारंपरिक, गैर परमाणु) missiles above Taiwan, aggressive (आक्रामक, शत्रुतापूर्ण, जुझारू) acts that could have easily led to unintended (अनपेक्षित, अप्रत्याशित, आकस्मिक) escalation (intensification, aggravation, exacerbation). That they did not lead to any incidents is credit (श्रेय, प्रशंसा, मान्यता) to the sober (सादगीपूर्ण, गंभीर, समझदार) response from Taiwan’s military, which said it monitored China’s exercises, some of which were held within 12 nautical (समुद्री) miles of Taiwan, but chose to neither engage (व्यस्त रखना) Chinese aircraft and warships (A warship or combatant ship is a naval ship that is built and primarily intended for naval warfare), nor shoot down (gun down, bring down (an aircraft or missile)) missiles. If the drills were certainly provocative (उत्तेजक, आंदोलनकारी), China’s justification (औचित्य, आधार, कारण) is that they were a needed response to draw a red line (boundary, limit (which should not be violated/crossed)) after what Beijing has seen as needless American provocation (annoyance, irritation, agitation, vexation; stirring, goading, prompting) that triggered (cause, give rise to, lead to, bring about, generate) this entire crisis. The August 3 visit of U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan, the first such high-level engagement (meeting, session; involvement, taking part, participation, association) in 25 years, was in China’s view further evidence of Washington “hollowing (पकड़ना, आचरण करना, व्यवस्थित करना) out” its commitment to a One China Policy (The one-China policy, or the ‘One Country, Two Systems’ policy, refers to the diplomatic acknowledgement of China’s position that there is only one Chinese government and Taiwan is an integral part of that. It was originally proposed in the late 1970s by the then Chinese Communist leader Deng Xiaoping).

As the dust settles now, it is difficult to see what all three parties – the U.S., Taiwan and China – will ultimately (finally, eventually, in the end) gain from a visit that appears to have been driven (force, press, pressurize, urge) more by Ms. Pelosi’s political inclinations (readiness, preparedness, disposition, wish, desire) than any well-considered (examined, thought-out, planned carefully) long-term strategic (relating to achieving long-term or overall goals) objectives (aim, intention, goal, purpose, target). It is thus not hard to see why even U.S. President Joe Biden and the U.S. military had cautioned against a trip that brings no lasting (enduring, long-lasting, long-term, deep-rooted) strategic benefits for Washington. For Taiwan’s 23 million people and for President Tsai Ing-wen, the rare high-profile (prominent, most important, attracting much public attention) foreign visit was no doubt (undoubtedly, doubtlessly, without doubt) welcome in the face of (despite, notwithstanding, regardless of; when confronted with) increasing global isolation (alienation, detachment, separation) on account of (because of, owing to, due to, as a result of) China’s pressure. That short-term benefit may, however, be offset (even up, counterbalance, equalize, neutralize; make amends for, compensate for) by the fact that (used to refer to a specific situation under consideration/discussion) Ms. Pelosi has arguably left Taiwan with a far worse strategic environment (situation, scenario; conditions, circumstances). China’s military has indicated its actions have now heralded (signal, indicate, foretell, point to, announce, spell, usher in) a new normal (an earlier unusual situation that becomes a standard now) in military activity across the Taiwan Strait, bringing it ever closer to Taiwan’s shores (seashore, seaside, beach, coastal region). Beijing and Washington, meanwhile, are left picking up the pieces of an already strained (awkward, uneasy, uncomfortable, difficult, troubled, embarrassed) relationship that is now teetering (see-saw, fluctuate, oscillate, swing) on the edge of an abyss (a catastrophic/disastrous/awful situation). The focus must now turn to cooling the temperatures (तापमान). Doing so will be easier said than done (used to say that something sounds like a good idea in theory, but it would be very difficult to do) with the low levels of trust between the world’s two biggest powers. In response to Ms. Pelosi’s visit, Beijing last week said it will cut off (discontinue, break off, disconnect, interrupt, suspend) military channels (forum, medium, method, instrument, mechanism) with Washington by cancelling three key dialogue mechanisms (procedure, process, system, operation, method, technique), that too at a time of heightened (intensified, increased, aggravated, worsened, compounded) military tensions (strained relations; strain, stress, pressure, unease). War, it is said, is too important to be left to the generals (a commander of an army). The same may be said of relations between nations: they should not be hostage (pawn, security (a person/thing used by others for their own purposes)) to personal ambitions of politicians.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.temperature (noun)

Hindi Meaning -  तापमान
English Meaning - the extent/magnitude/scale/range of tension in a conflict.

2.exercises (noun)

Hindi Meaning - अभ्यास, युद्धाभ्यास
English Meaning - military drills, manoeuvres, operations.

3.incident (noun)

Hindi Meaning - घटना, टकराव, झड़प
English Meaning - confrontation, skirmish, brush, collision, conflict, fight, battle.

4.median (noun)

Hindi Meaning - मध्य बिंदु, मंझला, केंद्र
English Meaning - centre, mid point, halfway point.

5.conventional (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - पारंपरिक, गैर परमाणु
English Meaning - non-nuclear.

6.aggressive (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - आक्रामक, शत्रुतापूर्ण, जुझारू
English Meaning - hostile, belligerent, bellicose, hawkish, combative.

7.unintended (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - अनपेक्षित, अप्रत्याशित, आकस्मिक
English Meaning - unplanned, unexpected, accidental.

8.credit (noun)

Hindi Meaning - श्रेय, प्रशंसा, मान्यता
English Meaning - praise, commendation, acclaim, acknowledgement, recognition, kudos, regard respect, admiration.

9.sober (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - सादगीपूर्ण, गंभीर, समझदार
English Meaning - serious/sensible, thoughtful; realistic, pragmatic.

10.hold (verb)

Hindi Meaning - पकड़ना, आचरण करना, व्यवस्थित करना
English Meaning - conduct, organize.

11.nautical (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - समुद्री
English Meaning - maritime, marine, seagoing.

12.engage (verb)

Hindi Meaning - व्यस्त रखना
English Meaning - capture, catch, arrest, grab, seize.

13.provocative (adjective)

Hindi Meaning - उत्तेजक, आंदोलनकारी
English Meaning - annoying, irritating, agitational, provoking, inflammatory, goading.

14.justification (noun)

Hindi Meaning - औचित्य, आधार, कारण
English Meaning - grounds, reason, necessity.

15.draw a line (phrase)

Hindi Meaning - एक रेखा खींचें, सीमा निर्धारित करना
English Meaning - to put a limit, to set a boundary.

16.cool (verb)

English Meaning - reduce, lessen, diminish, moderate; soothe, assuage.

17.pick up the pieces (phrase)

English Meaning - bring back a situation to normal after failure/tragedy.

18.water (noun)

English Meaning - sea, ocean.

19.come as a surprise/relief (phrase)

English Meaning - to make someone feel relieved.

20.drill (noun)

English Meaning - (military) training, exercises.

21.Taiwan strait (noun)

English Meaning - it is a 180-kilometer strait (waterway) separating the island of Taiwan and continental Asia (precisely southeastern coast of mainland China).

22.strait (noun)

English Meaning - a narrow sea passage (connecting two seas); channel, stretch of water, waterway.

23.missile (noun)

English Meaning - a self-propelled/rocket-propelled weapon designed to deliver a conventional/nuclear explosive warhead with great accuracy at high speed; projectile.

24.led past participle of lead to (verb)

English Meaning - result in, cause, bring on, bring about, give rise to.

25.escalation (noun)

English Meaning - intensification, aggravation, exacerbation.

26.nautical mile (noun)

English Meaning - it is a unit of measurement defined as 1.852 kilometres, used on water by sailors and/or navigators in shipping and aviation. It is the average length of one minute of one degree along a great circle (circumference) of the Earth. One nautical mile corresponds to one minute of latitude.

27.warship (noun)

English Meaning - A warship or combatant ship is a naval ship that is built and primarily intended for naval warfare.

28.shoot down (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - gun down, bring down (an aircraft or missile).

29.red line (noun)

English Meaning - boundary, limit (which should not be violated/crossed).

30.provocation (noun)

English Meaning - annoyance, irritation, agitation, vexation; stirring, goading, prompting.

31.trigger (verb)

English Meaning - cause, give rise to, lead to, bring about, generate.

32.engagement (noun)

English Meaning - meeting, session; involvement, taking part, participation, association.

33.hollow out (verb)

English Meaning - undermine, weaken, erode.

34.One China policy (noun)

English Meaning - The one-China policy, or the ‘One Country, Two Systems’ policy, refers to the diplomatic acknowledgement of China’s position that there is only one Chinese government and Taiwan is an integral part of that. It was originally proposed in the late 1970s by the then Chinese Communist leader Deng Xiaoping.

35.the dust settles (phrase)

English Meaning - things calm down.

36.ultimately (adverb)

English Meaning - finally, eventually, in the end.

37.drive (verb)

English Meaning - force, press, pressurize, urge.

38.inclination (noun)

English Meaning - readiness, preparedness, disposition, wish, desire.

39.well-considered (adjective)

English Meaning - examined, thought-out, planned carefully.

40.strategic (adjective)

English Meaning - relating to achieving long-term or overall goals.

41.objective (noun)

English Meaning - aim, intention, goal, purpose, target.

42.lasting (adjective)

English Meaning - enduring, long-lasting, long-term, deep-rooted.

43.high-profile (adjective)

English Meaning - prominent, most important, attracting much public attention.

44.no doubt (phrase)

English Meaning - undoubtedly, doubtlessly, without doubt.

45.welcome (adjective)

English Meaning - pleasing, agreeable, encouraging, heartening, promising, favourable, much needed, pleasant, to one’s liking.

46.in the face of (phrase)

English Meaning - despite, notwithstanding, regardless of; when confronted with.

47.isolation (noun)

English Meaning - alienation, detachment, separation.

48.on account of (phrase)

English Meaning - because of, owing to, due to, as a result of.

49.offset (verb)

English Meaning - even up, counterbalance, equalize, neutralize; make amends for, compensate for.

50.the fact that (phrase)

English Meaning - used to refer to a specific situation under consideration/discussion.

51.arguably (adverb)

English Meaning - possibly, conceivably, maybe, potentially.

52.environment (noun)

English Meaning - situation, scenario; conditions, circumstances.

53.herald (verb)

English Meaning - signal, indicate, foretell, point to, announce, spell, usher in.

54.a new normal (phrase)

English Meaning - an earlier unusual situation that becomes a standard now.

55.shore (noun)

English Meaning - seashore, seaside, beach, coastal region.

56.strained (adjective)

English Meaning - awkward, uneasy, uncomfortable, difficult, troubled, embarrassed.

57.teeter (verb)

English Meaning - see-saw, fluctuate, oscillate, swing.

58.teeter on the edge/brink (phrase)

English Meaning - to be very close to an unpleasant or difficult or dangerous situation.

59.abyss (noun)

English Meaning - a catastrophic/disastrous/awful situation.

60.be easier said than done (phrase)

English Meaning - used to say that something sounds like a good idea in theory, but it would be very difficult to do.

61.cut off (phrasal verb)

English Meaning - discontinue, break off, disconnect, interrupt, suspend.

62.channel (noun)

English Meaning - forum, medium, method, instrument, mechanism, .

63.dialogue (noun)

English Meaning - discussion, exchange, debate, discourse, exchange of views, talks.

64.mechanism (noun)

English Meaning - procedure, process, system, operation, method, technique.

65.heightened (adjective)

English Meaning - intensified, increased, aggravated, worsened, compounded.

66.tension (noun)

English Meaning - strained relations; strain, stress, pressure, unease.

67.general (noun)

English Meaning - a commander of an army.

68.war is too important to be left to the generals (phrase)

English Meaning - Georges Clemenceau, Prime minister of France (1906-1909 and 1917-1919) commented this phrase during World War I. It was a sage observation even amid the total war in which his nation was then engaged.

69.hostage (noun)

English Meaning - pawn, security (a person/thing used by others for their own purposes).