中国と南シナ海 軍事拠点化の加速を憂慮する

The Yomiuri Shimbun
U.S. must bolster patrol activity to secure stability in S. China Sea
中国と南シナ海　軍事拠点化の加速を憂慮する

China’s recent maritime activities can be regarded as a self-serving attempt to expand its sphere of influence by force and thereby increase regional tensions.
　力による支配の拡大で地域の緊張を高める独善的な企たくらみと言えよう。

China has been accelerating the militarization of islands and artificial isles in the South China Sea.
　中国が南シナ海で、島とう嶼しょや人工島の軍事拠点化を加速させている。

Satellite images and other findings have shown that China is constructing facilities believed to be radar installations on four reclaimed islands in the Spratly Islands.
　スプラトリー（南沙）諸島の四つの人工島でレーダーとみられる施設を建設していることが、衛星写真などで判明した。

It has already established a radar surveillance system in the northern half of the South China Sea, installing radar equipment in the Paracel Islands and elsewhere. With the latest installation of a radar system, China is apparently seeking to acquire warning and surveillance capabilities over almost the entire South China Sea.
　南シナ海の北半分ではすでに、パラセル（西沙）諸島などに設置したレーダーで監視体制を築いている。今回のレーダー網の整備によって、南シナ海のほぼ全域をカバーできる警戒監視能力を獲得する狙いだろう。

It was also revealed that China had deployed fighter jets and bombers in addition to long-range surface-to-air missiles to Woody Island in the Paracel Islands, which is effectively controlled by China. The island’s area is said to have increased by 40 percent in less than two years through expansion of a runway and other facilities.
　パラセル諸島では、中国が実効支配するウッディ島（永興島）に、長距離地対空ミサイルに続いて、戦闘機や戦闘爆撃機を配備したことも発覚した。滑走路の拡張などで、島の面積は２年足らずで４割も増大したとされる。

The series of Chinese maritime activities can be considered the foundation for establishing an air defense identification zone over the South China Sea in addition to the one already set up over the East China Sea.
　一連の措置は、東シナ海に加え、南シナ海にも防空識別圏を設定するための布石ではないか。

Clearly, the administration led by President Xi Jinping has an ambition to enclose the South China Sea — without grounds under international law — and treat it like a Chinese “lake” in an attempt to eliminate U.S. influence in the area. China is believed to be considering effectively implementing an anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) strategy to ensure naval and air supremacy, thereby deterring the intervention of the U.S. military in times of emergency.
　国際法の根拠のないまま、南シナ海を自らの「湖」のように囲い込み、米国の影響力の排除を図る習近平政権の野心は明白だ。
　制海権と制空権を確保し、米軍の有事介入を阻む「接近阻止・領域拒否（Ａ２ＡＤ）」戦略を効果的に進める思惑もあろう。

Chinese sophistry

Adm. Harry Harris, commander of the U.S. Navy’s Pacific Command, has expressed a strong sense of caution against China’s militarization of the islands, telling a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, “I believe China seeks hegemony in East Asia.”
　米太平洋軍のハリー・ハリス司令官は上院軍事委員会の公聴会で、「中国は東アジアで覇権を追求している」と述べ、軍事拠点化に強い警戒感を示した。

Of serious concern is that Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Li has dismissed U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry’s concern about China’s maritime activities.
　深刻なのは、訪米した中国の王毅外相がケリー米国務長官の懸念表明をはねつけたことである。

During a news conference after meeting with Wang, Kerry said, “I stressed that any enforcement by any party of maritime claims by deploying their own aircraft over disputed areas are not compatible with the freedoms of navigation and of skies of access to flight operations.” But unless Washington applies stronger pressure on Beijing, it will be impossible to stop China’s unilateral actions and speech.
　ケリー氏は記者会見で、「係争海域への航空機配備は、航行や上空飛行の自由と両立しない」と強調した。だが、米国がもっと厳しくクギを刺さなければ、中国の一方的な言動は止められまい。

Wang countered by saying more attention must be given to the fact that “strategic bombers and missile destroyers are appearing every day in the South China Sea.” China’s assertion that U.S. military patrol operations, which embody freedom of navigation, are “militarization” is nothing but sophistry.
　王氏は「戦略爆撃機やミサイル駆逐艦が南シナ海に毎日現れていることを重視すべきだ」と反論した。「航行の自由」を体現する米軍の巡視活動を「軍事化」だとするのは、詭弁きべんに過ぎない。

During his visit to the United States last September, Xi stated that his country “has no intention of pushing militarization.” China argued persistently that the country would perform its international responsibilities, including providing rescue operations and ensuring the safety of navigation.
　習国家主席は昨年９月の訪米時に、「軍事化を進める意図はない」と明言していた。中国は、救難活動や航行の安全などで国際的責務を果たすとも強弁している。

We cannot accept a situation in which a great power that should play a pivotal role in stabilizing the South China Sea does not honor an international pledge and instead moves to destabilize the security conditions.
　南シナ海の安定に重要な役割を発揮すべき大国が国際公約を守らず、率先して情勢を不安定化させるような状況は容認できない。

It is essential for the United States to maintain and bolster patrol operations. Tokyo and Washington must cooperate closely with other countries concerned as they apply continued pressure on Beijing.
　米国が巡視活動を継続・強化することが肝要である。日米は関係国と緊密に連携し、対中圧力を維持せねばならない。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Feb. 26, 2016)