国防費２ケタ増 中国は軍の透明性を高めよ

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Mar. 6, 2011)
China's defense buildup lacking in transparency
国防費２ケタ増　中国は軍の透明性を高めよ（3月5日付・読売社説）

China will boost its defense spending in 2011 by 12.7 percent compared to the previous year's actual figure, a spokesman of the 11th National People's Congress said Friday, one day ahead of the opening of the legislature's fourth annual meeting.
　中国の２０１１年の国防予算は前年実績比１２・７％増で、２年ぶりに２ケタの伸びとなった。
　５日開幕の第１１期全国人民代表大会（全人代＝国会）第４回会議を前に大会報道官が公表した。

China's defense spending increased by double digits every year for 21 years from 1989 through 2009. But its growth rate dropped to a single digit in 2010 due to effects of the world economic slowdown and other factors.
　中国の国防予算は１９８９年から０９年までの２１年間、２ケタ増が続いたが、世界同時不況などの影響で１０年は１ケタ増に減じた。

Now it has returned to a double-digit rate with the economic recovery. Since China aims for an average gross domestic product growth rate of 7 percent for next five years, we must expect that high growth rates in its defense spending are likely to continue.
　それが景気回復とともに、再び２ケタ台に転じた。中国は今後５年間の国内総生産（ＧＤＰ）成長率の目標を７％に設定している。国防予算は高い増加率が続くものと見なければなるまい。

China's military spending growth rate for this year has surpassed its GDP growth rate of 10 percent last year, when it became the second largest economy in the world.
　今年の国防予算の伸び率は、世界２位の経済大国となった昨年のＧＤＰ成長率１０％を上回った。

Beijing should offer a reasonable explanation of why it believes it needs to continue increasing its military spending at a rate surpassing its economic growth rate.
　中国は経済成長率を超える国防予算増をなぜ続ける必要があるのか、合理的な説明をすべきだ。

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Neighbors uneasy

Its neighbors cannot help but harbor serious concerns unless transparency of the Chinese military is increased. To contribute to Asian regional stability, China should fulfill its responsibility as a major power in this regard.
　軍の透明性を高めなければ、周辺諸国が抱く懸念は消えない。地域の安定に寄与するよう大国としての責任を果たすべきである。

China's defense spending is 1.58 times larger than Japan's fiscal 2011 defense budget. China is already the world's second largest military power after the United States in terms of defense expenditures.
　中国の国防予算は、１１年度の日本の防衛予算の１・５８倍である。軍事費では、すでに米国に次ぐ世界第２の軍事大国だ。

Besides, its defense budget is obscure on many points. For example, research and development funding for new military equipment is not included. Actual military spending is believed to be more than double the official figure.
　しかも、その予算には、装備の研究開発費が含まれないなど不明な点が多い。実際の軍事費は公表値の２倍以上と見られている。

The recent buildup of Chinese forces is noteworthy.
　最近の中国軍増強は著しい。

Construction of aircraft carriers is progressing steadily in Shanghai and Dalian. An aircraft carrier battle group with submarines and surface ships is expected to go into service in 2020.
　上海や大連などでは航空母艦の建造が着々と進んでいる。２０年には潜水艦や水上艦を従えた空母戦闘群が就役する見通しだ。

A test flight of the J-20, an advanced stealth fighter jet, was conducted at the beginning of this year. The test flight was a provocative show of military strength because it was done while U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates was visiting China.
　次世代の新鋭ステルス戦闘機「殲（Ｊ）２０」の試験飛行は年明けに行われた。ゲーツ米国防長官の中国訪問中に実施するという挑発的な示威だった。

Deployment of Dong-Feng 21D antiship ballistic missiles has already started. The missiles are aimed at preventing U.S. aircraft carriers from coming close to the Taiwan Strait if a contingency takes place in the region, according to military experts.
　台湾海峡有事の際、米空母の接近を阻止するのが狙いと見られる対艦弾道ミサイル「東風（ＤＦ）２１Ｄ」の配備も始まっている。

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Saber-rattling over Senkakus

Two Chinese military planes this week flew into airspace about 50 kilometers from the Senkaku Islands in Okinawa Prefecture. It is the first time that Chinese military aircraft have come so far across the median line between the two countries and flown so close to the Senkaku Islands.
　今週、中国軍機２機が、沖縄県尖閣諸島の領空付近約５０キロまで接近した。中国軍機が日中中間線を大きく越えて尖閣諸島に接近したのは初めてのことだ。

The incident could be part of China's attempts to achieve air and sea supremacy in the East China Sea, the South China Sea and the western Pacific. Japan must stay alert.
　中国は東シナ海、南シナ海、西太平洋で、制空権や制海権を握ろうとしているのだろう。日本も警戒を怠ってはなるまい。

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said China's increasing military budget is obscure not only in its amount but also in its content. "We hope [Beijing] will further increase transparency," he said. We heartily concur.
　枝野官房長官は、中国の国防予算増加について「金額はもとより内容も不透明な部分がある。透明性を一層高めて行くことが望まれる」と述べた。当然の指摘だ。

Through its ministerial talks and defense exchanges with Beijing, the government must question the Chinese side over the reasons and aims behind the long-term increases in its defense expenditures.
政府は閣僚会談や防衛交流などを通じ、長期に及ぶ国防予算増の理由や狙いを、中国側にただして行かなければならない。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, March 5, 2011)
（2011年3月5日01時24分 読売新聞）