「尊重與坦率」的對話
US President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping talked in a virtual summit Monday evening in an attempt to ease tensions between the two superpowers.
週一晚間，美國總統拜登和中國國家主席習近平召開虛擬峰會，試圖緩和兩個超級大國間的緊張關係。
counterpart(n.)等量齊觀的對手in an attempt to…為了…;試圖…=in order to RV=in a bid to RV=in an effort to RV
During the three-and-a-half-hour meeting, the two leaders sought to tamp down the previously open hostility and keep an overtly competitive and toxic relationship from worsening.
在三個半小時的會談中，兩位領導人試圖緩和之前公開的敵意，防止公然競爭和有害的關係惡化。
seek-sought-sought尋找;尋求tamp down平息hostility(n.)敵意;敵對overtly(adv.)公開地;公然地=openlytoxic(adj.)有毒的;有害的toxic chemicals有毒的化學物質
In what a senior US official described as a “respectful and straightforward” dialogue, both Xi and Biden noted the importance of bilateral communication and more cooperation.
在美國高階官員形容為「尊重與坦率」的對話中，習近平和拜登都指出了雙邊溝通和加強合作的重要性。
describe…as…將…描述、形容為…
Biden said that Xi and he, as national leaders, must ensure that competition between the two countries does not veer into conflict.
拜登說，習近平與他作為國家領導人，必須確保兩國之間的競爭不會演變成衝突。
ensure that…確保…veer(v.)改變方向;轉向=change directionveer into…演變成…
On the other hand, Xi stated that a “sound and steady” China-US relationship is essential.
另一方面，習近平表示，中美關係必須維持「健康穩定」。
on the other hand另一方面sound(adj.)健全的arrive at home safe and sound平安回到家
Referring to Biden as an “old friend,” Xi said he is ready to work with him “to build consensus, take active steps, and move the China-US relationship forward in a positive direction.”
習近平稱拜登為「老朋友」，表示願同他一道「凝聚共識、積極行動、推動中美關係朝著正面方向發展」。
refer to...as…把…稱為…consensus(n.)共識
Trade and climate change took a back seat in the summit, while the two leaders had a lengthy discussion over the issue of Taiwan.
貿易和氣候變遷在峰會上退居次席，兩位領導人反倒就台灣問題進行了長時間的討論。
take a back seat 退居次要位置lengthy(adj.)漫長的;冗長的a lengthy discussion／process漫長的討論／過程
China’s state-run media Global Times cited Xi as saying that Taiwanese authorities have sought US support for their independence agenda and that some Americans have intended to use Taiwan to contain China.
中國官方媒體《環球時報》的報導引述習近平說，台灣當局尋求美國支持獨立，還有一些美國人打算利用台灣來牽制中國。
state-run media國營媒體agenda(n.)(會議等的)議程、(帶貶意)圖謀;隱藏的企圖contain(v.)控制;遏制;制止(有害物蔓延)
Encouraging Taiwan independence would be “playing with fire,” Xi warned Biden. “Whoever plays with fire will get burned.”
習近平警告拜登，鼓勵台獨是「玩火」，「玩火的人會引火上身。」
By comparison, the White House readout after the summit was much more deliberate and constrained, albeit understated, one could sense Biden’s resistance to China’s increasingly aggressive stance towards Taiwan.
相比之下，白宮在峰會後的簡報顯得更加謹慎，儘管低調，但可以感受到拜登欲抵制中國對台灣日益挑釁的立場。
by comparison相較之下=in comparisonreadout(n.)峰會後簡報deliberate(adj.)(常指壞事)有意的;故意的;蓄意的、小心謹慎的;沉穩的a deliberate attack蓄意攻擊constrained(adj.)拘謹的a constrained manner拘謹的態度albeit(conj.)雖然;儘管understated(adj.)輕描淡寫的
Biden is firmly against “efforts to change the status quo or undermine peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait,” the White House said.
白宮表示，拜登堅決反對「改變現狀或破壞台海和平穩定的行為」。
be firmly against…=be strongly opposed to…強烈反對the status quo 現況undermine(v.)(常指逐漸地)削弱(信心、權威等)、損害
Although the two leaders struck a harsher tone when they talked about Taiwan, both sides seem willing to collaborate to tackle climate change and other major global issues, following a joint declaration to slow global warming at the United Nations climate summit held in Glasgow, Scotland last week.
儘管兩位領導人在談到台灣時語氣較為嚴厲，但雙方似乎都願意合作應對氣候變遷和其它重大全球議題。上週在蘇格蘭格拉斯哥舉行的聯合國氣候峰會上，中美才剛發表宣誓減緩全球暖化的聯合聲明。
strike a…tone 用…語氣講話harsh(adj.)嚴厲的collaborate to RV合作a joint declaration共同聲明