美参议院批准洪博培出任驻俄罗斯大使
美国国会参议院批准洪博培出任美国驻俄罗斯新大使，在美俄关系的关键时刻填补了这一空缺。
洪博培曾任美国犹他州州长，美国驻新加坡和中国大使。
洪博培的任命在参议院迅速获得一致通过。民主、共和两党罕见地一致支持川普的这一提名。《华盛顿邮报》引述民主党参议员本杰明·卡丁的话说，川普不可能选择比洪博培更合适的人选了。
洪博培出任美国驻俄罗斯大使，正赶上两国关系高度紧张。美国指责俄罗斯插手美国去年大选，干预乌克兰东部政局。
美国总统川普否认政治对手有关他的竞选团队跟俄罗斯勾结的指控。
洪博培这个月在参议院外交关系委员会上作证时说：“毫无疑问”，俄罗斯肯定干预了美国去年的总统大选。
U.S. Confirms Ambassador to Moscow at Critical Time
The U.S. Senate has confirmed Jon Huntsman as the new U.S. ambassador to Russia, filling a void at a critical time in U.S.-Russian relations.
Huntsman is a former governor of the U.S. state of Utah who previously has served as ambassador to Singapore and China.
The confirmation was unanimous and swift and with Democrats and Republicans joining in a rare consensus to support President Trump’s choice for the top U.S. diplomat in Moscow. The Washington Post quoted Democratic Senator Benjamin Cardin as saying Trump could not have made a better choice than Huntsman.
The new U.S. ambassador will arrive in Moscow as tensions remain high between the U.S. and Russia on issues that include allegations of Russian meddling in U.S. elections and interference in eastern Ukraine.
President Trump has rejected allegations by political opponents that his campaign colluded with the Russians.
Huntsman testified this month before the Senate Foreign Relations committee and said there is, in his words, “no question” that Moscow interfered in last year’s presidential election.
朝核挑衅白热化 美国务卿访华
朝鲜半岛紧张局势不断升级之际，美国国务卿蒂勒森星期四启程，二次出访中国，寻求北京的合作，对朝鲜的核挑衅施加“最大的压力”。
蒂勒森星期四会见了中国国务院副总理刘延东，寻求中方的合作，压制朝鲜的核挑衅，为川普总统11月份的首次中国之行铺平道路。
蒂勒森在参加首轮美中社会与人文对话前说：“我们将继续讨论其它一系列重要问题，朝鲜问题当然也在议题之列。”
美国与中国官员密切协商，确保中国限制从朝鲜进口煤炭、钢铁、铁矿、铅和铅矿，以及海鲜。
如果全面落实的话，针对这些产品的禁令将大幅度降低朝鲜今年的收入。美国国务院的数字显示，朝鲜2016年向中国出口上述产品的总收入是15亿美元。
中国是朝鲜最大的贸易伙伴。华盛顿认为，争取中国的合作是切断平壤外汇来源的关键。
蒂勒森此次访华的其它重要议题是贸易和投资。
国务院发言人诺尔特星期四说：“我们跟中国一起，让一边倒的美中贸易关系恢复平衡，确保中国公平对待美国公司，为美国创造就业。”
Tillerson Heads to China Amid North Korea Nuclear Escalation
U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson embarks Thursday on his second trip to China, seeking Beijing’s cooperation on a “maximum pressure” campaign against North Korea’s nuclear aggression, amid heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
In a meeting with Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong on Thursday, the top U.S. diplomat is seeking China’s cooperation to curb North Korea’s nuclear provocations, and paving the way for President Donald Trump’s first visit to China in November.
“We’ll continue our discussions on a number of other issues that are important, and certainly North Korea will be on the table for discussion,” said Tillerson prior to the first round of U.S.-China Social and Cultural Dialogue that’s aimed at promoting people-to-people ties.
The U.S. is conferring closely with Chinese officials on Beijing’s commitment to curbing imports of North Korean coal, iron, iron ore, lead and lead ore, and seafood.
If fully implemented, the ban on those items could substantially reduce North Korea’s revenues this year. North Korea had earned $1.5 billion from the export of these items to China in 2016, according to the State Department.
China is North Korea’s number one trade partner. Washington says bringing China on board is key to cutting off Pyongyang’s ability to earn hard currency.
Trade and investment also are high on the agenda in Tillerson’s visit to Beijing.
“We're working with China to rebalance our trade and our lopsided relationship in that realm, and ensure that China provides fair treatment to U.S. companies in ways that create U.S. jobs,” said State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert on Thursday.
