南シナ海情勢 中国に挑発凍結を促し続けよ

The Yomiuri Shimbun
Keep pressure on Beijing to freeze provocations in South China Sea
南シナ海情勢　中国に挑発凍結を促し続けよ

Antagonism has become more conspicuous over the South China Sea between China and a group of countries including Japan and the United States.
　南シナ海を巡る日米両国などと中国の対立が、一層鮮明になった。

This could be observed at the recent ASEAN Regional Forum in Myanmar, where foreign ministers and officials from 27 countries and organizations gathered to discuss security issues. They included Japan, the United States, China and the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
　日米中や東南アジア諸国連合（ＡＳＥＡＮ）など２７か国・機構の外相らが安全保障問題を話し合うＡＳＥＡＮ地域フォーラム（ＡＲＦ）が、ミャンマーで開かれた。

The focal topic at the meeting was South China Sea affairs, including the territorial dispute between China and Vietnam over the Paracel Islands.
　焦点は、パラセル諸島の領有を巡る中国とベトナムの対立をはじめとする南シナ海情勢だった。

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry called on the countries concerned to put a voluntary freeze on provocative actions. His idea of resolving disputes peacefully through negotiations after easing tensions was supported by the Philippines.
　ケリー米国務長官は、挑発行為の自発的な凍結を当事国に呼びかけた。緊張を緩和した後、交渉で問題を平和的に解決するとの考え方で、フィリピンも同調した。

The current regional tensions have been caused by China’s self-righteous actions such as carrying out reclamation work to build facilities and drilling for oil in disputed waters. If such provocative actions are suspended, it would help in making arrangements for negotiations.
　現在の緊張の原因は、係争海域での石油掘削や埋め立てによる施設建設など、中国の独善的行動だ。挑発行為が凍結されれば、協議の環境を整えるのに有効だろう。

Stressing the importance of the principle of “the rule of law,” Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida expressed opposition to the use of force and coercion as well as the importance for resolving disputes peacefully.
　岸田外相は、「法の支配」の原則を強調するとともに、力の行使や威圧への反対、平和的な問題解決の重要性を訴えた。

The root cause of the problems was that China has been insisting on territorial rights with no grounds in international law and trying to expand its effective rule with the backing of its military might. Kishida’s statements could be intended to check such movements by China. Assertions similar to Kishida’s have been made successively by the representatives of other countries.
　問題の根源は、中国が国際法上の根拠がない領有権を主張し、軍事力を背景に実効支配の拡大を図っていることだ。岸田氏の発言は中国への牽制けんせいであり、他国からも同様の主張が相次いだという。

In response, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi presented a plan to work together with the ASEAN toward early establishment of a legally binding code of conduct in the South China Sea.
　これに対し、中国の王毅外相は、法的な拘束力を持つ南シナ海行動規範の早期策定を、ＡＳＥＡＮと進める方針を示した。

Shared interests at stake

It is, of course, desirable to work out a code of conduct aimed at ensuring peace and stability in the South China Sea. But it is suspected that China’s real intention could be to eliminate U.S. involvement in the sea while buying time by promoting talks on a code of conduct.
　南シナ海の平和と安定を目指す行動規範の策定は無論、望ましい。だが、中国の本音は、規範策定で「時間稼ぎ」をしつつ、米国の関与を排除することではないか。

If that is the case, China’s proposal on a code of conduct cannot be endorsed, as freedom of navigation and other interests of the whole international community are at stake.
　それならば、航行の自由などは国際社会全体の利益に関わる問題である以上、容認できない。

We should pay heed to China’s increasing moves to divide ASEAN into pro- and anti-China groups by wielding its economic clout.
　注意が必要なのは、中国が経済力を駆使し、ＡＳＥＡＮ内の分断工作を強めていることだ。

China has been providing assistance to Cambodia and Laos in connection with their infrastructure development projects in the Mekong River area. Beijing has also offered an economic cooperation plan to the Thai military regime that took power in a May coup.
　カンボジアやラオスには、メコン川流域の社会資本開発事業などを支援している。５月にクーデターを起こしたタイ軍事政権にも、経済協力策を示した。

It is cause for worry that Thailand has quickly declared its support for a China-led plan to establish an Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.
　中国主導の「アジアインフラ投資銀行」構想にタイがいち早く支持を表明したのは気がかりだ。

The joint statement of the ASEAN foreign ministers’ meeting held ahead of the ARF expressed “serious concern” about the South China Sea issue.
　ＡＲＦに先立つＡＳＥＡＮ外相会議の共同声明は、南シナ海問題に「深刻な懸念」を表明した。

In the process of drafting the statement, Cambodia among others reportedly opposed a Philippine proposal to call for a “freeze on provocative actions.” China’s diplomatic maneuvering has thus had certain results.
　声明の案文作りでは、カンボジアなどが、「挑発行為の凍結」を求めるフィリピン案に反対したという。中国の工作は一定の成果を上げている。

To prevent China from forcibly changing the status quo in the South China Sea, Japan and the United States must beef up cooperation with not only ASEAN member nations but also their neighboring countries such as Australia and India.
　日米両国は、中国による南シナ海での「力ずくの現状変更」を許さないため、ＡＳＥＡＮ各国はもとより、豪州、インドなど周辺国との連携を強める必要がある。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Aug. 12, 2014)