中国大気汚染 環境改善を遅らせる強権統治

The Yomiuri Shimbun
Iron-fisted rule of Chinese govt causes delays in fighting air pollution
中国大気汚染　環境改善を遅らせる強権統治

China’s air pollution can be described as a due consequence of the nation’s efforts to achieve economic growth at any cost, combined with delays in improving the situation as a result of the Chinese Communist Party’s one-party dictatorship established to rule the country with an iron fist.
　成長至上主義のツケに加えて、中国共産党の一党独裁による強権統治が事態の改善を遅らせていると言えよう。

Many parts of China are experiencing serious air contamination. In December, Beijing’s municipal authorities issued red alerts twice, signaling the worst-level pollution in the city.
　中国各地が深刻な大気汚染に見舞われている。北京市当局は今月、２度にわたって、最悪レベルの汚染を示す「赤色警報」を発令した。

In some sections of Beijing, the density of fine particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 micrometers or less, known as PM2.5, topped 700 micrograms per cubic meter — 20 times greater than the level set in Japan’s environmental standards.
　北京の一部地域では、直径２・５マイクロ・メートル以下の微小粒子状物質（ＰＭ２・５）の濃度が１立方メートルあたり日本の環境基準の２０倍に相当する７００マイクロ・グラムを超えた。

The red alerts were kept in place for about seven days, during which emergency measures were enforced, including traffic restrictions aimed at nearly halving the passage of vehicles and a halt in the operation of factories. There also are concerns about the adverse effects incurred on the Japanese community in the city. The school for local Japanese students was temporarily closed, while Japanese corporations switched to work-at-home operations during the period.
　警報期間中の計約７日間、通行車両をほぼ半減させる交通規制や工場の稼働停止などの緊急措置をとった。日本人学校が休校し、日系企業が在宅勤務に切り替わるなど邦人社会への影響も心配だ。

Forcible traffic controls were also enforced during a summit meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in the autumn of 2014 and a military parade in September.
　強引な交通規制などは、昨秋のアジア太平洋経済協力会議（ＡＰＥＣ）首脳会議や今年９月の軍事パレードでも実施された。

We feel the restrictions may have been intended, first and foremost, to save face for Chinese President Xi Jinping’s administration during these important events. Just repeating such ad hoc measures will do little to fundamentally resolve the problem.
　重要行事の際に、習近平政権のメンツを保つのが最大の目的だったのではないか。こうした場当たりな対応を繰り返すだけでは、抜本的解決は図れまい。

The cause of China’s worsening air pollution is such pollutants as sooty smoke from combusted coal and exhaust from automobiles powered by low-quality gasoline. Long-term, persistent anti-pollution efforts are indispensable for rectifying the situation.
　大気汚染悪化の原因は、石炭を燃やす際に生じる煤煙ばいえんや低品質のガソリンを使った自動車の排ガスなどだ。改善には、長期的で粘り強い取り組みが欠かせない。

Words don’t match actions

The Chinese government has expressed its readiness to attach great importance to the fight against environmental problems, including a plan to enforce the revised air pollution prevention law early in the new year.
　政権は、改正大気汚染防止法を年明けに施行するなど環境対策を重視する姿勢は示している。

China has proclaimed it will stand by the rule of law, but the independence of the judiciary is nowhere to be seen in that country. The swift disclosure of information is indispensable in this respect, but provincial government bureaucrats, by and large, have little awareness of what should be done. They also have an extremely strong tendency to cover up inconvenient things.
　だが、中国では「法治」を掲げながら、「司法の独立」はない。迅速な情報公開が不可欠にもかかわらず、地方官僚の意識は概おおむね低く、隠蔽体質も甚だしい。

It may be difficult to reform the collusive relations between corporations and regional authorities, as priority is given to economic interests and consequently aggravates the spread of pollution.
　経済的な利益を優先し、汚染の蔓延まんえんを助長してきた地方当局と企業の癒着の構造にメスを入れるのは難しいだろう。

In the spring of 2015, steps were taken to make it impossible to watch an Internet video that had caused a stir by denouncing the authorities over the air pollution problem. It is important for nongovernmental organizations and the media to keep watch on corporations. However, the fact is that the Chinese government is increasing restrictions on NGOs and news organs.
　今春、大気汚染を巡って当局を告発し、大反響を呼んだインターネット動画は閲覧不能になった。民間活動団体（ＮＧＯ）やメディアによる企業に対する監視が重要だが、政権はむしろＮＧＯや報道への締め付けを強めている。

If the current situation goes unchecked, China’s pledge to curtail greenhouse gas emissions in the anti-global warming fight could be reduced to an empty slogan.
　このままでは、地球温暖化問題を巡って表明した温室効果ガス削減の公約すら、そらぞらしい。

The Xi administration has said it will pursue the goal of transforming the country, by the end of 2020, into a “society with breathing space,” in which people feel somewhat comfortably off. In trying to achieve this objective, there is a pressing need for China to make all-out environmental efforts, to say nothing of the need to improve the living standards of its people.
　習政権は２０２０年までに、いくらかゆとりのある「小康社会」の構築を目標に掲げている。実現には、国民の生活水準の向上は無論、環境対策の徹底が急務だ。

China’s air pollution cannot be treated as having nothing to do with Japan. PM2.5 and other pollutants come flying into our nation, carried by the prevailing westerlies. Japan must continue to promote environmental cooperation with China while at the same time urging that nation to become serious about addressing the problem.
　中国の大気汚染は日本にとってもひとごとではない。ＰＭ２・５などが偏西風に乗って飛来している。日本は環境協力を進める一方、中国が対応に本腰を入れるよう促し続けねばならない。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Dec. 31, 2015)