There was also no mistaking the symbolism of seeing President Bush, waving cheerfully from his spot in the bleachers while Chinese President Hu Jintao sat behind what looked more like a throne. It is hard to imagine that China’s government, which obsesses over every minute issue of diplomatic protocol, had not orchestrated this stark image of America’s decline relative to the country to which it owes $1.4 trillion.
美国总统布什从露天看台高兴地挥手示意，而中国主席胡锦涛则端坐在好似王座的位置上。人们也不会误解这里的象征意义。中国政府一向对外交礼节斤斤计较，因此，人们难以想象，中国政府并无刻意安排，从而显示出美国相对于持有一万四千亿美元国债的国家衰落这一鲜明形象。难以想象罗斯福或者里根会接受这样类似的居于人下的位置。