导读:近日，美国国务卿泰勒森在访问韩国期间称，美国对朝忍耐已到尽头，如有必要将会采取军事行动。
The US has said its policy of "strategic patience" with North Korea is over and suggested it might decide to take pre-emptive military action.
美国称，其对朝鲜的“战略忍耐”政策已到尽头，并且暗示可能会采取先发制人的军事行动。
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the option was "on the table" if the threat from the North’s weapons programme reached a level requiring it.
国务卿雷克斯·泰勒森表示，如果朝鲜武器计划威胁达到一种水平，美国就会出此选择。
During a visit to South Korea, he also said the US was exploring a range of new diplomatic and economic measures.
在访问韩国期间，他还指出，美国过去一直在寻求一系列新的外交和经济措施。
And he defended the deployment of a US missile system in South Korea.
他还为在韩国部署美国导弹系统做了辩护。
The move has angered China, but South Korea and the US say the system is needed as a defence against North Korean aggression.
这一举动激怒了中国，但是韩国和美国称，该系统是抵御朝鲜挑衅之需。
US President Donald Trump tweeted that North Korea was "behaving very badly" and had been "playing" the US "for years". "China has done little to help!" he added.
美国总统唐纳德·特朗普发推文说，朝鲜的“行为十分恶劣”，它“耍了”美国“很多年”。他还补充道，“中国没有帮上任何忙！”
Mr Tillerson spoke shortly after visiting the demilitarised zone which divides the two Koreas.
泰勒森在访问了分离朝韩的军事区不久后这样说道。
He arrived in South Korea from Japan, where he had said that 20 years of efforts designed to persuade North Korea to abandon its nuclear ambitions had failed.
他从日本抵达韩国，在这里他指出，20年来说服朝鲜弃核的努力以失败告终。
Asked if the possibility for military action existed, he said: "Certainly we do not want to, for things to get to military conflict."
在被问及是否存在军事行动的可能性时，他表示：“我们当然不希望事情闹到军事冲突的地步。”
But he added: "If they elevate the threat of their weapons programme to a level that we believe requires action, then that option’s on the table."
但是，他补充道：“如果他们将武器计划威胁上升到我们认为有必要采取行动的水平，我们就会出此选择。”
North Korea has conducted nuclear and missile tests in recent years, and says it is close to testing long-range missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads and reaching the US.
朝鲜近年来进行了核导试验，并且宣称接近试验能够搭载核弹头、到达美国的远程导弹。
Big shift? Analysis by Stephen Evans, BBC News, Seoul
大转变？首尔BBC新闻史蒂芬·埃文斯分析
Mr Tillerson was blunt: the previous policy had ended. Despite that assertion, though, the difference between the Obama strategy and the Trump one is not obvious. Mr Obama had not ruled out military force and Mr Tillerson thinks sanctions might yet work.
泰勒森十分直率：之前的政策结束了。尽管出此言论，但是奥巴马战略和特朗普战略的差别并不明显。奥巴马并未排除武力，泰勒森也认为制裁可能尚且奏效。
At the end of it, the situation remains the same: North Korea shows no hint of being willing to renounce nuclear weapons, whatever economic blows it receives and whatever China might think.
最终，情况还是一样：朝鲜没有愿意放弃核武器的暗示，无论其受到什么样的经济打击，以及中国可能会怎么想。
Mr Tillerson heads for Beijing next, hoping China will help - but in the past Mr Trump has called China an "enemy".
泰勒森下一步前往北京，希望中国能够提供帮助——但是过去特朗普称中国是一个“敌人”。
