9月3日，国家主席习近平宣布裁减军队员额30万。国防部新闻发言人杨宇军在新闻发布会上表示，这次裁减军队员额，重点是“压减老旧装备部队，精简机关和非战斗机构人员”。这将是上世纪80年代以来第四次大规模裁军。
Since the 1980s, China has reduced the size of its military in three stages - by 1 million, 500,000 and 200,000 personnel. There are currently 2.3 million members. The reduction will be completed by the end of 2017 in order to optimize the structure of Chinese forces, Yang said.
上世纪80年代以来，中国先后裁减军队员额100万、50万、20万，中国军队现有总员额230万。杨宇军表示，这次裁减军队员额将于2017年年底基本完成，旨在调整优化军队结构。
Xi's announcement "fully demonstrates China's sincerity and hope in jointly championing peace, seeking development and enjoying prosperity with various countries in the world", Yang said. The decision also shows the country's "proactive, responsible attitude toward advancing international arms control and disarmament", the spokesman added.
杨宇军表示，习主席宣布我国将裁减军队员额30万，“充分彰显我国同世界各国一道共护和平、共谋发展、共享繁荣的诚意和愿望。也展示我国推动国际军控和裁军的积极的负责任的态度。”
Asked if the announcement signifies the start of a new round of national defense and military reform, Yang said China "will come up with some new reform measures and proactively and steadily press ahead with reform of national defense and the military".
当被问及宣布裁军是否意味着新一轮国防和军队改革，杨宇军回应称，中国“还将相继推出一些新的改革举措，积极稳妥推进国防和军队改革。”
Some countries and recent media reports have again raised questions over the size of the People's Liberation Army, the world's largest. Yang said that comments made about China's alleged threat "run counter to the facts and are irresponsible".
有的国家、近日媒体报道再次质疑中国拥有世界上最大规模的军队，对此，杨宇军回应称，有些言论故意渲染“中国威胁”，这是“违背客观事实，也是不负责任的。”
The country is still undertaking demanding tasks in championing national unification, securing state sovereignty and ensuring its development and interests, he said. The PLA undertakes noncombatant actions and missions such as disaster relief, international peacekeeping, and search and rescue work. China is also faced with threats posed by regional terrorism, separatism and extremism, he added. "Therefore, our military needs to maintain a certain scale, which is totally for defense purposes," he said, adding that China never sought, nor seeks, hegemony and expansion.
杨宇军还表示，我国仍然面临着维护国家统一、维护国家主权、维护发展利益的艰巨任务。我军还承担抢险救灾、国际维和、国际救援等非战争军事行动任务。我国还要应对地区恐怖主义、分裂主义、极端主义活动威胁。“因此，我军需要保持一定规模，这完全是出于防御目的。”杨宇军还表示，中国永远不称霸，永远不搞扩张。
Yang also said the defense budget needs to maintain a certain scale, as the overall level of China's arms and equipment "is comparatively lagging behind".
杨宇军还表示，由于我国武器装备总体水平“比较落后”，国防预算需要保持适当规模。
Vocabulary
noncombatant: 非战斗人员
proactive: 积极行动的
disarmament: 裁军
signify: 表示，意味着
英文来源：中国日报
译者&编辑：许晶晶
