中韓首脳会談 地域の安定損なう「反日共闘」

The Yomiuri Shimbun
China-ROK anti-Japanese campaign threatens to bring regional instability
中韓首脳会談　地域の安定損なう「反日共闘」

China’s intention to drive a wedge into cooperative ties among Japan, the United States and South Korea by wooing Seoul to its side has become more clear than ever.
　韓国を取り込み、日米韓の連携にくさびを打ち込む。そんな中国の狙いが浮き彫りになった。

Chinese President Xi Jinping has visited Seoul for talks with South Korean President Park Geun-hye, and the two leaders confirmed their nations’ “firm opposition” to the development of nuclear weapons on the Korean Peninsula in connection with their policies toward North Korea.
　中国の習近平国家主席がソウルを訪問し、韓国の朴槿恵大統領と会談した。北朝鮮政策で、朝鮮半島での核開発に断固反対する方針で一致した。

It was the first time that a top Chinese leader has visited South Korea ahead of North Korea, a traditional friend of the communist state. Xi played up the impression that China was placing importance on South Korea and that the two nations were forging a cooperative relationship.
　中国の最高指導者が、伝統的友好国の北朝鮮より先に韓国を訪れるのは初めてだ。「韓国重視」と「中韓協調」を演出した。

In an article he contributed to South Korean newspapers just before his visit, Xi said it was essential for the two nations to take joint steps for the security of Asia. The proposal is based on his “Asian security concept,” in which “Asian security must be protected by Asian people.” It is a clear indication that China is trying to exclude the United States from the security framework of Asia.
　習氏は訪韓直前に韓国紙に寄稿し、アジアの安全保障で中韓の共同対処の重要性を強調している。「アジアの安全はアジアの人々が守る」という自らの「アジア安全観」に基づく提案で、米国を排除しようとする意図が明らかだ。

Japan, the United States and Southeast Asian nations are sharply criticizing China for its unilateral attempts to change the status quo in Asia, which have increasingly isolated the nation. Given the situation, Bejing apparently wants to gain Seoul’s cooperation in creating a China-led Asian order through strengthened relations with South Korea, whose economy increasingly depends on that of China.
　アジアでは、一方的な現状変更を試みる中国に対し、日米や東南アジア諸国が批判を強めている。孤立傾向にある中国は、経済面で対中依存を深める韓国との関係を強化し、中国主導の秩序作りへの協力を得たいのだろう。

Limited results

But a joint statement merely said the two nations will regularly hold high-level strategic dialogue on security and diplomatic issues. As South Korea naturally sought to avoid causing cracks in its relations with its ally, the United States, Xi’s diplomatic strategy was not fruitful.
　しかし、中韓共同声明は、「外交・安保上級戦略対話の定例化」と記述するにとどまった。韓国が同盟国・米国との亀裂を避けるのは当然であり、習氏の外交戦略が奏功したとは言えまい。

As for the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank that Xi is proposing, the joint statement only said the two nations will continue talks on the matter. China will not easily realize its ambitions to lead efforts to build a financial order in Asia to counter the Asian Development Bank, which is led by Japan and the United States.
　習氏が提唱する「アジアインフラ投資銀行」についても「継続協議」とされた。日米が主導するアジア開発銀行に対抗し、中国主導の金融秩序を築くという目論見もくろみも簡単には実現しないだろう。

Above all, Japan should be alarmed by the fact that China and South Korea agreed to conduct joint research on materials related to so-called comfort women as spelled out in a supplementary note to their joint statement.
　日本が警戒すべきは、共同声明の付属文書に、いわゆる従軍慰安婦問題に関する資料の共同研究の実施が盛り込まれたことだ。

China has already submitted an application to register materials related to comfort women with UNESCO’s Memory of the World. South Korea is also preparing to make a similar application.
　中国は既に、慰安婦の関連資料について、国連教育・科学・文化機関（ユネスコ）の世界記憶遺産に登録申請している。韓国も、同様の申請を準備中だ。

Of serious concern is the fact that China and South Korea are expanding their joint anti-Japanese campaigns by using historical issues—which they have interpreted for their own convenience—in their efforts to sway international opinion to their sides.
　両国が、自ら都合良く解釈した歴史カードに基づく「反日共闘」を拡大し、国際社会での世論戦を展開することは、日本にとって憂慮すべき事態である。

During his speech at Seoul University, Xi called on the South Korean people to join anti-Japanese campaigns by saying, “Japanese militarists carried out barbarous wars of aggression against China and Korea.”
　習氏はソウル大学での講演で、「日本の軍国主義者は、中韓に対する野蛮な侵略戦争を仕掛けた」などと主張し、韓国国民にも共闘を呼びかけた。

Park was cautious about China’s maneuver to scuttle ties among Japan, the United States and South Korea in the areas of security and finance, but actively responded to China’s calls to bash Japan over historical issues.
　朴氏は、中国による日米韓の分断工作に対し、安全保障、金融両面では慎重姿勢を見せたが、歴史分野では積極的に呼応した。

Park apparently intends to use her anti-Japanese stance to buoy her approval rating, which has dropped due mainly to her administration’s poor handling of the sinking of a ferry in April. Park’s irresponsible move in becoming closer to China has been met with unveiled expressions of concern from the United States.
　旅客船沈没事故などで低下した支持率の回復を図る思惑もあるのだろうが、そうした安易な対中接近には米国も懸念を隠さない。

This is a good time for Park to rethink how important coopera-tive ties are among Japan, the United States and South Korea.
　朴氏は、日米韓の連携の重要性を改めて考える時ではないか。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, July 5, 2014)