金習會搶先金川會
Chinese President Xi Jinping and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un stunned the world last week with an unannounced bilateral meeting in Beijing.
中國國家主席習近平和北韓領導人金正恩上週在北京進行未公開雙邊會談，引起全世界震驚。
stun(v.)使震驚、使驚訝bilateral(adj.)雙邊的
Little is known about what was discussed between the two leaders.
兩位元首間討論了什麼，對外透露的訊息很少。
But analysts say the secretive visit was a message from China to the United States — Beijing will not be left out of any deal between the two countries.
但分析師們指出，中國想藉金正恩的秘密訪問，對美國釋放出訊息——北京不會被排除在任何朝鮮與美國間的協議之外。
Kim’s visit to Beijing took place before the North Korean leader’s meeting with US President Donald Trump to discuss Pyongyang’s denuclearization.
金習會搶在北韓領導人與美國總統川普會面，討論平壤去核子化問題之前舉行。
take place舉行nuclear weapons核子武器denuclearization(n.)去核子化
“In the past, China has seen the North Korean nuclear issue as a form of leverage in its relationship with the United States,” said Yun Sun, co-director of the East Asia Program at the Stimson Center, a research institute in Washington.
華盛頓史汀生中心東亞計劃研究員孫雲指出，過去中國把北韓核武問題視作與美國的談判籌碼。
leverage(n.)槓桿作用、影響力=influencebargaining chips談判籌碼
China has seen itself as an integral player in this issue and it does not want to be reduced to being a bystander, Sun said.
孫雲說，中國視自己為這個議題不可分割的一部分，不願只當旁觀者。
bystander (n.)旁觀者=onlooker
From a North Korean perspective, the meeting with Xi is a good opportunity to strengthen its negotiating position by aligning the two nations ahead of Trump and Kim’s meeting, said Wang Peng, a North Korea expert at the Charhar Institute in Beijing.
北京「察哈爾學會」北韓問題專家王鵬認為，從北韓的角度來看，與習近平會面是在川金會前，拉攏對中關係，鞏固談判立場的好機會。
perspective(n.)觀點;角度=point of view=anglealign(v.)與…結盟;與…保持立場一致
Experts say North Korea has been hurt by tightening UN sanctions and would need Beijing’s support for any softening of trade restrictions.
專家指出，北韓因為聯合國更嚴厲的制裁而元氣大傷，需要北京的支持來軟化貿易上的限制。
sanction(n.)制裁;處罰soften(v.)軟化relax(v.)放寬;放鬆
Trump’s decision to hire hardliners such as incoming National Security Adviser John Bolton may have increased pressure on North Korea before the summit, said Han Suk-hee, professor of Chinese Studies at Yonsei University.
首爾延世大學中國研究所教授韓碩熙認為，川普決定任用強硬派，如新任國安顧問波頓，或許在峰會登場前為北韓增添壓力。
hardliner(n.)強硬派hawk(n.)鷹派dove(n.)鴿派;溫和派incoming(adj.)新任的
“It seems that North Korea is not ready to deal with the United States without support and help from its longtime ally China,” he said.
韓碩熙說：「北韓似乎還沒準備好在沒有長期盟友中國的支持與協助下與美國交手。」
deal with~和…打交道;應付;處理ally(n.)盟友the Allies(二戰)同盟國