習・李体制へ 威圧外交で高まる中国異質論

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Mar. 16, 2013)
China's overbearing diplomacy only boosts its 'alien' image
習・李体制へ　威圧外交で高まる中国異質論（3月15日付・読売社説）

Chinese Communist Party General Secretary Xi Jinping has been named president at the National People's Congress, succeeding the retiring Hu Jintao. Xi now holds the country's top three titles, including the top party and military posts.
　中国共産党の習近平総書記が全国人民代表大会（全人代＝国会）で、引退する胡錦濤氏の後任の国家主席に選出された。これで、党、軍のトップと合わせて３権を掌握した。

On Friday, Li Keqiang is set to succeed Wen Jiabao in the premiership. Then the transition of power that began in autumn last year will be complete and the Xi-Li regime can begin to move.
　１５日には、党内序列２位の李克強氏が温家宝氏から首相を引き継ぎ、「習・李体制」が始動する。昨秋以来の権力移行の完成だ。

China, now the world's second-largest economy, is being urged to play a much larger role in the international community than it did when the Hu-Wen regime began 10 years ago. We hope China will respond to the demands of the global community and fulfill its responsibility in stabilizing the world situation.
　世界第２位の経済大国となった中国には、１０年前の「胡・温体制」発足時より格段に大きな役割が国際社会で求められている。中国はそのことを自覚し、世界の安定に責任を果たしてもらいたい。

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Aiming to be a maritime giant

President Xi, who has said achieving the "great revival of the Chinese nation" is the goal of his administration, is expected to pursue wealth- and military-building policies over his two five-year terms, aiming to transform China into a superpower on par with the United States.
　「中華民族の偉大な復興」を政権目標に掲げる習主席は、２期１０年間の任期中、米国と並ぶ超大国の座に迫ろうと、富国強兵路線を突き進む考えだ。

Backed by a strong military, China has been striving to become a "great maritime power." It is quite clear that the country will continue its hard-line stance against Japan, Vietnam, and other neighbors in the East and South China seas.
　強大な軍事力を背景に「海洋強国化」を推し進めている。東シナ海や南シナ海で、日本やベトナムなど周辺国に対し、強硬姿勢をとり続けるのは間違いない。

China's lawmaking body, the National People's Congress, passed government organizational reforms to achieve this aim.
　全人代では、そのための政府の機構改革も決めた。

The reforms consolidate maritime patrols under the State Oceanic Administration (SOA)--activities that had been previously administered independently by law enforcement bodies such as the SOA, Agriculture Ministry and Public Security Ministry. This therefore represents a massive increase of the SOA's authority. Above the SOA, a state oceanic commission will be created to direct the country's maritime strategy.
　国家海洋局の下に、これまで海洋局や農業省、公安省などが個別に所管してきた海上取り締まり活動を一本化した。海洋局の権限を大幅に強化するものだ。その上位機関に、海洋戦略を主導する「国家海洋委員会」を新設する。

The Xi administration is expected to step up cooperation between the navy and the SOA to maintain and strengthen its demonstrative activities around the Senkaku Islands in Okinawa Prefecture. The administration has reportedly been studying the possibility of sending a survey team to the islands to set survey markers and create an accurate map of the islands.
　習政権は、尖閣諸島周辺の示威行動を継続・強化する目的で海軍と海洋局の協力を本格化させる見通しだ。尖閣諸島の正確な地図作製のため、測量隊の派遣や標識の設置も検討しているとされる。

This situation is very worrying for Japan. We cannot accept such a violation of Japan's sovereignty.
　憂慮すべき事態である。日本の主権を侵害する行為を受け入れるわけにはいかない。

Japan needs to increase alertness over China in cooperation with the United States, and prepare for China's ever-escalating provocative actions.
　日本は米国と連携して警戒を強め、エスカレートする挑発への備えを固めねばならない。

As part of the organizational reform, China has decided to dissolve the Railway Ministry. Dubbed an "independent kingdom" with its own police force and court system, the ministry has been criticized as a hotbed of corruption in the wake of seemingly endless bribery cases. The Xi administration's leadership will be tested over its ability to direct a new railway organization to put customers first and place top priority on safety.
　機構改革では鉄道省の解体も決まった。独自の警察や裁判所も抱えた「独立王国」には、汚職が絶えない「腐敗の温床」との批判があった。利用者側に立ち、安全を最優先する組織に再生できるか。政権の指導力が問われよう。

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No visible achievements

During the last decade, the Hu-Wen administration sought sustainable economic growth that took the environment into consideration and worked to correct income disparities. However, it failed to produce visible results. Furthermore, the new administration must appropriately deal with the suppression of the human rights of minority groups, such as those in the Tibet Autonomous Region.
　胡・温体制はこの１０年、環境に配慮した持続的な経済成長や格差是正などを訴えてきたが、目に見える成果を出せなかった。さらに、チベットなど少数民族の人権抑圧への対応も迫られている。

Xi will need to squarely face difficult problems that could shake the foundation of the country. If the government continues to inflame nationalist sentiments with its forcible, overbearing diplomacy only to distract people from their hardships, it will only give more credence to ideas in the international community such as that China is an alien nation or is a major threat to other countries.
　習主席は、中国を足元から揺さぶる難題に正面から取り組むべきだ。国民の不満をそらそうと、力ずくの威圧外交によって国内の民族主義を煽(あお)り続けるのなら、中国への「異質論」や「脅威論」が国際社会で高まるだけである。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, March 15, 2013)
（2013年3月15日01時38分  読売新聞）