There are few more disconcerting(令人不安的，使人困惑的) experiences for the British than being love-bombed by the French. Britain’s neighbours across the English Channel are usually regarded as pesky(烦人的，讨厌的) rivals, exasperating(使人恼怒的，激怒人的) partners and irritatingly well-tailored to boot(而且，另外，加之). Yet this week France went out of its way(特意，不遗余力) to charm Britain.
对英国人来说，几乎没有比被法国人“狂轰滥炸式示好”更令人不安的经历了。英吉利海峡对岸的邻居通常被视为烦人的对手、令人恼火的伙伴，而且偏偏还衣着考究得让人来气。然而本周，法国却特意向英国大献殷勤。
On September 2nd President Emmanuel Macron and King Charles met at a high-profile(高调的，备受瞩目的) event at the British Museum to inaugurate(为…举行开幕式，开创) the Bayeux tapestry exhibition, set to be(有望成为，注定成为) this season’s London blockbuster(轰动一时的作品，大片). It is the first time the 11th-century work depicting the Norman conquest of England in 1066 has left France.(这是这幅描绘1066年诺曼人征服英格兰的11世纪作品首次离开法国。) The loan “took probably more years” to negotiate than Brexit, Mr Macron joked last year; he has made it a personal centrepiece(核心，最重要的部分) of bilateral diplomacy(双边外交). “When we come together around one table,” he said of Anglo-French ties after announcing the exhibition in 2025, “then everything is possible.”
9月2日，法国总统埃马纽埃尔·马克龙与英国国王查尔斯在英国博物馆举行的一场高规格活动中共同为贝叶挂毯展览揭幕，该展览有望成为本季伦敦的“重磅大展”。这幅描绘1066年诺曼人征服英格兰的11世纪作品，是首次离开法国。马克龙去年开玩笑说，这次出借的谈判“可能比脱欧耗时还长”；他已将其视为双边外交的个人核心项目。2025年宣布该展览时，他谈到英法关系时说：“当我们围坐在同一张桌子旁，一切皆有可能。”
Why is France being so nice to Britain? Historical rivals, the two countries have sparred(争论，争吵，交锋) in recent years: over Brexit, submarine sales, small boats and more. When asked whether Mr Macron was a friend or foe(敌人，仇敌), Liz Truss, fleetingly(短暂地，转瞬即逝地) Britain’s prime minister, once said, “The jury’s out(尚无定论，悬而未决).” Now Britain seems keen to return the compliment(投桃报李，回报好意). Under Sir Keir Starmer, Mr Macron got a state visit, a banquet at Windsor Castle and a partner with whom to build a “coalition(联盟，联合政府) of the willing” for Ukraine. Mr Macron was due on September 3rd to be the first foreign leader to visit Andy Burnham, Sir Keir’s successor(继任者，接替者), in Downing Street. The pair were expected to discuss Ukraine, security and Britain’s ties to the EU.
为什么法国对英国这么好？作为历史宿敌，两国近年来一直争吵不断：从脱欧、潜艇销售、小船偷渡到其他种种问题。当被问及马克龙是朋友还是敌人时，曾短暂担任英国首相的利兹·特拉斯曾说：“尚无定论。”如今，英国似乎也乐意投桃报李。在基尔·斯塔默爵士执政期间，马克龙获得了国事访问、温莎城堡的宴会，以及一个可以共同为乌克兰打造“意愿联盟”的伙伴。马克龙原定于9月3日成为首位到访唐宁街、拜会斯塔默继任者安迪·伯纳姆的外国领导人。两人预计将讨论乌克兰、安全以及英国与欧盟的关系。
