美国菲律宾联合军演规模比去年扩大一倍

美国和菲律宾星期一开始举行15年来最大规模的联合军事演习，重点加强地区防范。

今年举行的这次代号为“肩并肩”的年度军演规模是去年军演的两倍，美菲两国参与军人约1万1千人。此次扩大规模的军演是华盛顿建立太平洋通道计划的组成部分；美国努力加强在太平洋的军事存在，以应对中国在南中国海迅速扩大的填海造岛活动。

中国在斯普拉特利群岛七个岛礁周围的填海造岛活动使其他几个对该地区有主权要求的国家和地区感到不安，包括菲律宾和越南。

美国总统奥巴马曾经表示，华盛顿担心中国利用其“规模和实力”在有争议海域欺负较小的国家。

US Doubles Size of Military Exercise with Philippines

The United States and the Philippines on Monday launched their biggest joint military exercise in 15 years, with a focus on enhancing preparedness in the region.

This year's annual 10-day Balikatan exercise is twice as large as last year's, involving around 11,000 troops from both nations. The expanded drill is part of Washington's Pacific Pathways program, an effort to boost the U.S. military presence in the Pacific in the face of China's rapid territorial expansion in the South China Sea.

China's rapid reclamation activities around seven reefs in the Spratly Islands has alarmed other claimants, including the Philippines and Vietnam.

U.S. President Barack Obama has said Washington is concerned China is using its "sheer size and muscle" to push around smaller nations in the disputed sea.

**意大利继续营救落海船民**

一艘载有数百名移民的船只在利比亚海岸外倾覆之后，意大利星期一在地中海继续进行大规模搜救行动，同时还在救援西西里沿海另一艘船上的叙利亚难民。

在98名叙利亚船民当中，有13名儿童，他们乘坐的船从土耳其出发，开始驶往欧洲的危险航程。

联合国难民事务高级专员的发言人萨米说，船民们采用不同的航线，试图到欧洲寻求更好的生活。

从利比亚出发的那艘船倾覆后，多达700人恐已葬身大海。

星期天夜幕降临时，当局表示，有28人在意大利兰佩杜萨岛以南大约200公里的海中获救，他们还找到24具尸体。搜救人员说，大多数失踪的船民似乎被这条20米长的船体困在海底。

萨米说，一名获救船民说，这艘船上载有儿童。

最新这起船难，将使2015年葬身地中海的死亡人数升至1500以上。一年前的同期，死于船难的难民人数大约为90。

分析人士预计，天气日益温暖，加上非洲和其他地区绝望的难民对欧洲稳定与繁荣的向往，地中海的人口贩运活动在未来几个月里会更加猖獗。

Italy Rescues Migrants After Separate Deadly Capsize Incident

Italy continued its massive search and rescue operation in the Mediterranean Monday for the capsized boat off the coast of Libya that was carrying hundreds of migrants, while at the same time rescuing Syrian migrants from another vessel off the coast of Sicily.

Thirteen children were among the 98 Syrian migrants whose boat originated from Turkey on the perilous journey to Europe.

Carlotta Sami, a spokeswoman for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, said migrants, seeking a better life in Europe, are taking a variety of routes to reach their destination.

As many as 700 people are feared dead from the capsized vessel off the coast of Libya.

By nightfall Sunday, authorities said 28 people had been rescued about 200 kilometers south of the Italian island of Lampedusa, and another 24 bodies were recovered. Rescue workers said the majority of the missing appeared trapped in the 20-meter vessel at the bottom of the sea.

Sami said a survivor of the capsized boat says there were children onboard.

The latest drownings would push the 2015 Mediterranean death toll past 1,500, compared to about 90 such refugee deaths in the same period a year ago.

Analysts say they expect human trafficking in the Mediterranean to worsen in the coming months as warming weather and the promise of European stability and prosperity lure desperate refugees from Africa and beyond.

Friday in Washington, U.S. President Barack Obama and visiting Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi discussed the migrant crisis. The Italian leader said it is the responsibility of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East to stop human trafficking in close cooperation with the United Nations.

President Obama said countries in the region need to coordinate political action to counter terrorism and prevent Libya from becoming a safe haven for terrorists.