2月13日，中國駐美大使崔天凱接受美國全國公共廣播電台（NPR）“早間新聞”（Morning Edition）節目主持人英斯基普（Steve Inskeep）采訪，就中國抗擊新冠肺炎疫情、中美關系等回答了提問。
英斯基普：當美國人看待中國爲應對這場危機所做努力時，一些人會很自然地將美國制度與中國制度進行比較，他們會問，如果危機發生在美國，情況會有什麽不同？他們可能會說，爲防止病毒傳播，中國可以封鎖整個城市的舉動令人印象深刻，因爲這在美國不太可能發生。但同時他們也會認爲，美國的制度更加開放，人民在分享信息和獲取可靠信息方面也更加自由。這可能就是美國人對比中美體制優劣的方式。您怎麽看待這種比較呢？
When Americans look at China’s effort to face this crisis, it is natural, I think, for some to compare the U.S. system to China’s system and ask how things would be different if the crisis were here. Americans might say it is impressive that China can shut down an entire city to try to stop the spread of a virus. That would not very likely happen in the United States. But they will also argue that the American system is more open and would be a little more free about sharing information and trying to get reliable information to the public. That is the way that an American might look at strengths and weaknesses of China’s system compared to the United States. How would you make that comparison?
崔大使：作爲一名外交官，我通常不會將中國政府和美國政府進行比較，但人們可以有自己的觀點。我們看到美國也曾遇到過自然災害、緊急事件，比如幾年前的卡特裏娜飓風，你們的確沒有封城，但城市卻陷入混亂。我訪問路易斯安那州時，那裏的人們給我講了各種各樣的故事。
Well, as a diplomat, normally I don’t compare the government of China and the government of the United States. But you can have your own views because you also have had things like disasters, emergencies here, like Hurricane Katrina some years ago, and you did not shut down the city, but there was total disorder in the city. I visited Louisiana. People told me all kinds of stories.
我們對武漢等城市實施封城，目的是爲了阻止病毒傳播，爲了保護更多的人。我們當然付出了高昂的代價，但這麽做是爲了更廣泛的全世界的利益。如果不能阻止病毒傳播，其他國家就會被殃及，從而造成國際性危機。因此，我覺得我們所做的正體現了“我爲人人，人人爲我”，這麽做是爲了全世界。同時我們也感謝國際社會的支持和幫助。
So we are shutting down some of the cities, especially Wuhan, to stop the transmission of the virus, to protect more people. We are doing all this of course at a high cost. But we are doing this in the larger interests of the entire world. If we fail to stop the virus, it could spread to other countries. Then this would cause an international crisis. So this is, I believe, a real example of one-for-all, all-for-one situation. We are doing this for the world. And we appreciate that the world is helping us.
英斯基普：你提到了高昂的代價。中國封閉一些城市付出了高昂的經濟成本等諸多代價。中國政府會不會到一定時候不得不承認付出的代價太高了？這是一種流行性疾病，一些人會死亡，但中國需要重新開放城市並恢複經濟生産。
You mentioned the high cost. There is a high economic cost, among other things, for China to shutting down major cities. Is there a point at which China’s government might have to decide the cost is too high? That this is a disease, it’s endemic, some people will die, but you need to reopen cities and resume economic activity?
崔大使：首先，對中國來說，人民的福祉特別是生命安全和身體健康是第一位的，我們將不惜一切代價、盡最大努力予以保護。同時，人們也需要經濟發展和正常社會活動，因此我們也在努力恢複正常的經濟和社會活動。
First of all, people’s wellbeing, their health, their safety, their life are the most important thing for us. So we’ll do our best to protect people’s wellbeing, in a sense, at whatever cost. At the same time, people also need economic development. They have to have the economy grow and more normal social life. So we are also trying our best to restore normal economic and social activity.
英斯基普：這可能需要多長時間？
How soon might that happen?
崔大使：這將取決于我們多久能控制疫情。
It will depend on how soon we can control the virus.
英斯基普：所以在疫情得到控制之前，你們會繼續之前的努力，即使付出高昂的成本也繼續走下去？
So you’re going to continue this effort until the virus is controlled. There is not a point at which you would say, this is just too costly. We need to go on.
崔大使：我們有兩條戰線。一方面，我們正盡最大努力，舉全國之力抗擊疫情。與此同時，我們也正在盡我們所能，逐步恢複正常的經濟和社會活動。
I think, we are working on two fronts. On the one front, we are doing our utmost, and this is a nationwide effort to fight the virus. At the same time, we’re doing whatever we can, to the extent we can, to maintain some normal economic and social life.
例如，必須保障人們的日常生活所需。春節假期後，一些企業和工廠需要恢複運營。我們還在研究何時以何種方式開學。
For instance, people’s daily necessities have to be provided. And some of the companies and factories have to resume their work after the Lunar New Year holidays and we are looking at when and how schools could be reopened.
英斯基普：此次采訪前不久，中國政府大幅增加了確診病例數量。當然這源于診斷方式的調整，並不代表實際感染人數上漲。但這引出了一個問題。您是否確信現在公布的病例數字是可靠的，是否確信中國政府掌握整個疫情的規模與程度？
Shortly before we spoke, Chinese authorities dramatically increased their reported number of coronavirus cases, which was an adjustment because of the way that the counting is done, not necessarily an increase in the number of cases. But that leads to a question. Are you confident that you now know a reliable number of how many cases there are and have an idea of the full scope of the problem?
崔大使：我認爲掌握可靠數據非常重要，這就是我們每天更新各類數據的原因。正如你所說，由于診斷標准調整，確診病例數量大幅上漲。這一調整非常有必要。用一些專家的話來說：“這是在努力張大防護網”。這樣做，所有需要救治的病人都會被顧及到，也有助于疫情最終探底。
I think it’s extremely important to have reliable numbers. That’s why we’re updating the numbers every day. And as you said, there was a dramatic increase, but because of the change of the diagnosis criteria. This is absolutely necessary. To use the words of some experts: “This is an attempt to widen the net”. So everybody who needs, who require(s) medical treatment will be included, will be covered. That will help us to get to the bottom.
英斯基普：現在探底了嗎？您是否有信心?
Do you now have the bottom? Do you feel confident that you…
崔大使：這個問題只有專家才能解答。我當然希望疫情能盡快探底。
I think this is a question for the specialist to answer, but I certainly hope that we’ll get to the bottom very soon.
英斯基普：您認爲這場疫情會持續多久，中國需要多長時間才能控制住這場危機，幾天，幾周還是幾個月？
Do you think that you might have this crisis in hand in a matter of days, weeks, months? How long might it take?
崔大使：我當然希望越早越好。但這取決于很多因素，包括我們的努力，包括我們是否在沿著正確的方向開展工作以及方法和工具是否有效。我們正竭盡全力，我對我們的科學家和醫務工作者充滿信心。
For me, it’s the sooner, the better. But it would depend on our efforts, whether we are working in the right direction, whether the methods, the tools we are using are effective. But we are doing our utmost. I have confidence in our scientists, in our doctors and in our medical workers.
英斯基普：美國商務部長羅斯前幾天就此次疫情評論稱，他不願就此次疫情表達喜悅，但疫情確實是企業在確定其供應鏈時需要考慮的一個因素。我理解他的意思是，這場疫情給美國企業離開中國又提供了一個理由。
Wilbur Ross, the U.S. Commerce Secretary, made a comment about the coronavirus the other day. And he said he didn’t want in any way to be happy about the virus. But he said, (and I) quote “gives business another thing to consider when deciding on their supply chains.” I understood him to mean American businesses have another reason to think about going somewhere other than China.
崔大使：對他的言論，很多美國媒體和經濟學家都發表了評論，表達了他們的觀點。所以我沒什麽可補充的。
After his remarks, I’ve read a lot of comments from American media, from American economists. They have expressed their views. So I have nothing to add.
英斯基普：您指的是哪些觀點？
Which views do you mean?
崔大使：哪些觀點？據我所知，很多人難以苟同。
What kinds of views? As far as I know, many people disagree.
英斯基普：不同意他的這一表態？
With him making that statement.
崔大使：是的。
Yes, of course.
來源：中國駐美大使館網站