srachai's homepage
タイ在住11年目、妻はタイ人、娘が2人、養女が2人

--The Asahi Shimbun, June 2
（社説）南シナ海問題　中国は埋め立て中止を
EDITORIAL: China must immediately stop land reclamation in South China Sea

A senior Chinese military officer has offered some insight into what China is trying to achieve in land reclamation work on reefs in the contested Spratly Islands in the South China Sea.
At a security summit held in Singapore, Chinese Adm. Sun Jianguo stated on May 31 that Beijing has military objectives in mind.
The admiral, who is deputy chief of staff of the People’s Liberation Army, told the annual meeting known as the Shangri-La Dialogue that the undertaking is partly aimed at meeting the country's “necessary defense needs.” He also indicated that an airstrip being built on one of the reefs will be used for both military and civilian purposes.
　南シナ海のスプラトリー（南沙）諸島で、中国が進めている岩礁埋め立ての狙いは何か。
　シンガポールであったアジア安全保障会議で、中国軍の孫建国・副総参謀長が、軍事目的があることを明言した。
　埋め立てについて「防衛上の必要な軍事的要請に応える」とし、建設中の滑走路を「軍民共用」とする見通しも示した。

His remarks are totally unacceptable. The reefs in this area are claimed by several neighboring countries in territorial disputes. China’s attempt to unilaterally create a fait accompli by force clearly violates international rules. China should stop the reclamation work immediately.
　全く容認できない発言である。この海域の岩礁は近隣国が領有権をめぐり争っている。力による一方的な既成事実化は明らかに国際ルールに反する。埋め立てを即刻中止すべきだ。

On Fiery Cross Reef, a runway is emerging on land reclaimed by China. It is becoming the largest patch of ground in the Spratly Islands, a group of hundreds of reefs, islets and atolls in waters close to vital shipping lanes.
　ファイアリークロス礁と呼ばれる環礁では、埋め立てによる滑走路が姿を現し、スプラトリーで最大の面積になろうとしている。

China may establish an air defense identification zone over the land it is reclaiming.
これらを拠点に防空識別圏を設ける可能性がある。

A defense white paper released by the Chinese government on May 26 declared a shift in the focus of its defense strategy toward naval operations, promising to put higher priority on the navy than on the army. Sun’s remarks reflect this strategic shift.
　中国政府が先週発表した国防白書は、陸軍よりも海軍に重点を置くとする海洋重視戦略を明確に掲げた。孫氏の発言はその線に沿ったものだ。

In expanding its presence in the South China Sea, China is apparently trying to acquire military capabilities to control important shipping lanes as well as seeking to secure fisheries and seabed resources.
　南シナ海への進出には、漁業資源や海底資源の確保に加え、重要海路を支配する軍事力を確立する狙いがあるとみられる。

Sun also cited “maritime scientific research” and “environmental protection” as objectives for reclamation work. But reclamation amounts to nothing less than destruction of the environment.
　孫氏は「海洋科学研究」「環境保護」も目的に挙げるが、埋め立ては環境破壊ではないか。

Beijing seems to be confident that its behavior will not lead to sanctions by other countries, despite the international criticism. But this is the arrogance of a major power.
他国から非難されても、制裁は受けないとの見通しがあるようだが、それは大国の傲慢（ごうまん）だ。

China has defended its actions in the South China Sea by saying they are within its sovereignty. This argument is based on China’s claim that history warrants its sovereignty over the vast expanses of the resource-rich and strategically important South China Sea within the “nine-dashed line,” or a U-shaped demarcation line used by the Chinese government for its territorial claims of most of the South China Sea.
　中国はこうした活動を「自国の主権の範囲内」としている。その前提には、南シナ海の大部分をＵ字形に囲った「９段線」内に歴史的優先権があるとする主張がある。

In maps used in China, the line is drawn as if it constituted part of the country’s national borders. But the line is not based on any solid legal grounds in terms of international law.
中国で流通している地図にはその線が国境のように引かれているが、国際法上、説明がつくものではない。

The Chinese administration of President Xi Jinping has pledged to pursue diplomatic relations with neighboring countries based on the principles of “sincerity” and “mutual benefits.”
　習近平（シーチンピン）政権は、周辺国との外交の方針として「誠実」や「互恵」を掲げたはずだ。

Beijing has reached a series of agreements with the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations on peaceful solutions to territorial disputes in the South China Sea.
東南アジア諸国連合とは、南シナ海問題の平和的解決をめざす合意を重ねた経緯もある。

China should realize that its strong-arm actions with regard to these issues are undermining the trust of its neighbors.
力任せの行動が信頼を損ねている事実を自覚するべきだ。

It is also worrisome that a number of Southeast Asian countries are expanding and enhancing their naval power in response to China’s actions.
　中国の動きを受け、東南アジア各国が海軍力の強化に動いているのも心配だ。

The Philippines is reinforcing its military bases on islands under its effective control, while Vietnam is reportedly reclaiming land on reefs.
フィリピンは実効支配する島で軍事基地を強化し、ベトナムも岩礁の埋め立てをしていると伝えられる。

U.S. military operations aimed at keeping China land reclamation work in check could also further exacerbate tensions in the area.
中国を牽制（けんせい）する米軍の行動も緊張を高めかねない。

Taiwan, which maintains effective control over one island, recently proposed that all the claimants agree to shelve the territorial disputes and work together to develop resources.
　この海域で実効支配する島を持つ台湾は最近、領有権争いの棚上げと、資源の共同開発などを提案した。

Taiwan’s proposal is worth serious consideration, even though Taipei cannot take part in international talks over such issues because of its relationship with China.
中国との関係で国際協議に加われない立場ではあるが、傾聴に値する。

Serious international efforts to restore peace and calm in the South China Sea are needed immediately. Otherwise, the situation will continue to deteriorate rapidly.
　南シナ海を穏やかな海に戻す努力をすぐに始めなければ、事態は悪化するばかりだ。