中国とガス田 一方的な開発は認められない

The Yomiuri Shimbun July 10, 2013
China’s unilateral development of gas field cannot be tolerated
中国とガス田　一方的な開発は認められない（7月9日付・読売社説）

The latest development is serious and certain to raise tensions in relations between Japan and China, which are already at loggerheads over the Senkaku Islands in Okinawa Prefecture.
　沖縄県・尖閣諸島を巡って対立している日本と中国の関係を一層緊張させる重大な事態だ。

It was recently learned that China is developing a new gas field near the median line between the two countries in the East China Sea, an area where a common borderline has yet to be defined.
　日中の境界が画定していない東シナ海の中間線付近で、中国が新たなガス田開発に着手したことが発覚した。

It can be said that China’s hard-line stance under President Xi Jinping has become clear, with his administration trying to expand his country’s maritime interests by force or through a number of faits accomplis.
　既成事実を積み重ね、力ずくで海洋権益を得ようとする中国の習近平政権の強硬姿勢が一段と鮮明になったと言えよう。

In June 2008, Japan and China agreed that both countries would jointly develop the Shirakaba gas field (called Chunxiao in China) located near a median line drawn at equal distances from the coastlines of the two nations. Both countries also agreed they would designate specific waters that straddle the median line to jointly develop, while agreeing to continue negotiations over possible joint development in other waters.
　日中両国は２００８年６月、両国から等距離の中間線に隣接する白樺ガス田を共同開発し、中間線をまたぐ特定海域を共同開発区域にすること、さらに、その他の海域での共同開発に向けた協議を継続することで合意した。

China claims wider EEZ

The agreement was made as both countries were unable to close the rift in views concerning the delineation of their respective exclusive economic zones, in which nations have sovereign rights over seabed resources. Japan asserted that a median line should be drawn at equal distances from the coastlines to delineate respective EEZs while China claimed an EEZ that stretches farther east, saying its continental shelf extends to the Okinawa Trough.
　海底資源に主権的権利が及ぶ排他的経済水域（ＥＥＺ）の境界線を巡って、中間線を主張する日本と、沖縄トラフまでとする中国の見解の溝が埋まらないためだ。

The area where China has recently been confirmed to have begun establishing a drilling facility is located about 26 kilometers west, toward China, of the median line favored by Japan. The unilateral act of China’s developing the area without a bilateral accord with Japan is intolerable.
　今回、中国の掘削施設の新設作業が確認されたのは、中間線から中国寄り西側約２６キロの海上だ。日中間に合意がないまま一方的に開発する行為は容認できない。

It stands to reason that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has criticized China by saying, “We want China to abide firmly by the bilateral accord.” Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga also lodged a protest over China’s latest action.
　安倍首相が「合意にはしっかり従ってもらいたい」と中国を批判したのは当然である。菅官房長官も中国に抗議の意を表明した。

But a spokesperson of China’s Foreign Ministry said there was nothing for China to be criticized for as the development activity is in Chinese waters. Does this mean China is saying there is nothing wrong with its developing an area closer to China from the median line?
　ところが、中国外務省報道官は、「中国が管轄する海域での開発活動で、非難される点はない」と開き直っている。中間線より中国側の海域のため、全く問題がないとでも言うのだろうか。

The latest gas field development attests to the Xi administration’s intention of accelerating China’s drive to become a “maritime power,” by promoting natural resource development in the East China Sea, as it is doing in the South China Sea.
　新たなガス田開発は、「海洋強国」化を加速する習政権が、南シナ海同様、東シナ海でも資源開発を推進しようとする表れだ。

China has not only repeatedly had its surveillance ships enter Japan’s territorial waters around the Senkaku Islands but also had its marine research vessels intrude into Japanese waters recently. The country has also dispatched other survey vessels to an area within Japan’s EEZ, about 85 kilometers north of Okinotorishima island. These developments indicate that China is trying to expand its maritime interests even in the Western Pacific Ocean.
　尖閣諸島周辺では、監視船による日本領海への侵入を繰り返すばかりか、最近は海洋調査船まで投入した。沖ノ鳥島から北へ約８５キロの日本のＥＥＺ内にも、別の調査船を派遣した。触手を西太平洋にまで伸ばそうという勢いだ。

Japan must press for talks

The recent spate of China’s maritime activities is probably the Xi administration’s attempt to raise pressure on the Abe administration. Japan, in the meantime, should press China to resume the bilateral talks on the joint development of the East China Sea in accordance with the 2008 bilateral accords, while remaining unruffled by China’s pressure.
　海洋での一連の動きは、安倍政権に対する圧力を強める習政権の狙いもあるのだろう。日本としては中国の圧迫に動じることなく、０８年の合意に基づき、東シナ海の共同開発交渉を進めるべきだ。

To begin with, it is China that unilaterally discontinued the bilateral talks over an accord on the joint development of a natural gas field in the area in question, following a collision between a Chinese fishing vessel and Japan Coast Guard patrol boats near the Senkaku Islands in 2010. Even since, Beijing has refused to accept Japan’s requests to resume the talks.
　そもそも、ガス田合意を実現するための条約締結交渉を、１０年に尖閣諸島沖で発生した中国漁船衝突事件を機に一方的に中断したのは中国である。その後も、日本の交渉再開要請に応じていない。

As long as China continues to take such a stance, its image of being “a power of a different nature” that easily breaks its promises made in intergovernmental accords will remain fixed in the international arena.
　これでは、政府間合意さえ簡単に反故(ほご)にする「異質の大国」としてのイメージが、国際社会で定着するだけではないか。

The Xi administration must suspend the gas field development in question and agree to resume the bilateral talks.
　習政権はガス田開発を中止し、交渉再開に応じねばならない。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, July 9, 2013)
（2013年7月9日01時52分  読売新聞）