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タイ在住11年目、妻はタイ人、娘が2人、養女が2人

The Yomiuri Shimbun
Nations must pressure China to conform to intl law in S. China Sea
東アジア会議　南シナ海で対中圧力を強めよ

China’s words and deeds to justify its own behavior while threatening freedom of navigation, which is based on international law, can never be tolerated. It is important to repeatedly voice to the international community over the menace and self-righteousness of the country.
　国際法に基づく「航行の自由」を揺るがしながら、自らの行為を正当化する中国の言動は容認できない。その脅威と独善性を国際社会に繰り返し訴えることが重要である。

The leaders of 18 countries, including Japan, the United States, China and Russia plus members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, gathered in Malaysia on Sunday at a meeting of the East Asia Summit. China on the one hand and such countries as Japan and U.S. on the other exchanged at the meeting over China’s building artificial islands and promoting the establishment of military strongholds in the South China Sea.
　日米中露などと東南アジア諸国連合（ＡＳＥＡＮ）の計１８か国による東アジア首脳会議が、マレーシアで開かれた。中国が南シナ海で人工島造成と軍事拠点化を進めている問題を巡って、日米などとの間で応酬が繰り広げられた。

At the meeting, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe stressed the need to thoroughly preserve the rule of law on the seas. With China in mind, Abe said, “A large-scale and rapid reclamation project aimed at creating a base for military purposes is under way” in the South China Sea, and The prime minister expressed “serious concern.”
　安倍首相は、海洋での「法の支配」を徹底するよう訴えた。中国を念頭に、「大規模かつ急速な埋め立てや拠点構築、軍事目的での利用が継続している」と指摘し、「深刻な懸念」を表明した。

U.S. President Barack Obama, speaking in light of U.S. plans to continue patrol operations by its warships within 12 nautical miles of the artificial islands, emphasized the importance of the “freedom of navigation and overflight.” Philippine President Benigno Aquino and others agreed with Obama.
　オバマ米大統領は、人工島の１２カイリ内を米艦艇が巡視する作戦の継続を前提に、「航行と飛行の自由」の重要性を力説した。フィリピンのアキノ大統領らも同調した。

Japanese-U.S. joint endeavors in cooperation with other countries concerned to beef up pressure on China are indispensable for maintaining regional stability.
　日米が共同で関係国と連携して中国への圧力を強めることは、地域の安定維持に欠かせない。

it must not be overlooked that China has been criticizing Japan and the United States for their involvement in the South China Sea issue, labeling the two as “countries from outside the region.”
　看過できないのは、中国が日米を南シナ海の「域外国」とし、その関与を批判していることだ。

China’s deception politics

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang called for “countries outside the region” to “refrain from taking actions that may cause tensions in the region.” His statement is apparently aimed at stopping the U.S. military’s patrol activities.
　李克強首相は「域外国」に対し、「地域情勢を緊張させる行動をとらない」ことを求めた。米軍の巡視活動を牽制けんせいする狙いだろう。

The task of ensuring safety in the key maritime route(sea-lane) in the South China Sea is doubtless in the interest not only of the countries bordering the South China Sea but also the international community, including Japan and the United States. China’s assertion is wide of the mark.
　南シナ海の海上交通路（シーレーン）の安全確保は、南シナ海の沿岸国だけでなく、日米を含む国際社会共通の利益にほかならない。中国の主張は筋違いだ。

Although China has agreed to consult with ASEAN to formulate a legally binding code of conduct for the contested area, there are no prospects for a timeframe for the code’s completion. It cannot be denied that China is using the dialogue to buy time, with the intention of making its control over the South China Sea a fait accompli.
　中国は、法的拘束力のある行動規範の策定に向けたＡＳＥＡＮとの協議に応じているが、策定時期の見通しは立っていない。対話で時間を稼ぎ、南シナ海支配を既成事実化する意図は明白だ。

In last week’s summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, the issue of the South China Sea was not discussed. We can see China presumably maneuvered in advance to tamp down the issue.
　先に開かれたアジア太平洋経済協力会議（ＡＰＥＣ）首脳会議では、南シナ海問題が議論されなかった。中国が事前に根回ししたことがうかがえる。

Early this month, Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Vietnam, with which China has had confrontations over the territorial problem, while sending Foreign Minister Wang Yi to the Philippines, the APEC chair.
　習近平国家主席は今月上旬、領有権問題で対立するベトナムを訪問し、ＡＰＥＣ議長国のフィリピンには、王毅外相を派遣した。

China is using an old trick to try to split ASEAN members by using its economic clout. As long as Beijing continues to use deception as an expediency and fails to stop unilateral actions based on force, it will only increase regional distrust of China.
　経済カードで懐柔し、ＡＳＥＡＮを分断するのは、中国の常套じょうとう手段だ。だが、その場限りのごまかしを続け、力による一方的な行動を改めなければ、地域の不信感を高めるだけではないか。

China’s tactic of distabilizing could hurt the unity of the member countries of ASEAN, which have declared they will launch an ASEAN Economic Community toward year-end. They are seeking to create a single market with a combined regional population of more than 600 million. Japan, in cooperation with the United States, must support the development of ASEAN as a whole.
　中国の揺さぶりは、ＡＳＥＡＮの結束に悪影響を及ぼす。ＡＳＥＡＮ各国は経済共同体を年末に発足させると宣言した。域内人口６億人超の単一市場構築を目指す。日本は米国と協調し、ＡＳＥＡＮの一体的発展を支えるべきだ。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Nov. 23, 2015)