英國(guó)計(jì)劃下月在南中國(guó)海實(shí)施航行自由行動(dòng)

Britain has outlined plans to sail a warship through contested Asian waters next month in a mission aimed at asserting maritime freedom of navigation rights at a time of tension between China and the US.

英國(guó)已制定了下月派一艘軍艦穿越亞洲有爭(zhēng)議水域的計(jì)劃，在中美之間關(guān)系緊張之際，英國(guó)此舉意在宣示海上的航行自由。

The naval operation in the South China Sea will be conducted by HMS Sutherland, an anti-submarine frigate that is en route to Australia, Gavin Williamson, UK defence secretary, said on Tuesday during a visit to Sydney.

英國(guó)國(guó)防大臣加文•威廉森(Gavin Williamson)周二在訪問(wèn)悉尼時(shí)表示，英國(guó)海軍在南中國(guó)海的這次行動(dòng)將由反潛護(hù)衛(wèi)艦“薩瑟蘭號(hào)”(HMS Sutherland)實(shí)施，該艦?zāi)壳罢傁虬拇罄麃啞?/p>

“She’ll be sailing through the South China Sea [on the way home] and making it clear our navy has a right to do that,” said Mr Williamson.

“她將(在回程中)穿越南中國(guó)海，并明確昭示我們的海軍有權(quán)這樣做，”威廉森表示。

Asked about Mr Williamson’s statement, China’s foreign ministry said that there was “no problem of freedom of navigation or overflight in the South China Sea. The situation there is also improving. We hope that non-regional countries can respect the efforts made by regional ones.”

當(dāng)被問(wèn)及中方如何評(píng)論威廉森的言論時(shí)，中國(guó)外交部表示：“南海的航行和飛越自由不存在任何問(wèn)題，南海局勢(shì)也正日益向好的方向發(fā)展。我們希望有關(guān)方面，特別是域外國(guó)家，能夠尊重地區(qū)國(guó)家的努力。”

In an interview published in The Australian newspaper, Mr Williamson said it was important for Britain, the US, Australia and other countries to “assert our values” in the South China Sea — a vital trade route and lucrative fishing area that Beijing claims as its own territorial waters.

《澳大利亞人報(bào)》(The Australian)發(fā)表了其對(duì)威廉森的采訪。威廉森在采訪中表示，英國(guó)、美國(guó)、澳大利亞和其他國(guó)家在南中國(guó)海“宣示我們的價(jià)值觀”具有重要意義。南中國(guó)海是一條重要的貿(mào)易航道，也是利潤(rùn)豐厚的漁區(qū)，北京方面主張南中國(guó)海主權(quán)屬于中國(guó)。

He did not clarify whether HMS Sutherland would sail within 12 nautical miles of disputed territory or artificial islands built by China — an activity practised by US warships that has angered Beijing. But Mr Williamson said Britain “absolutely supported” the US approach on freedom of navigation and its actions in the South China Sea.

威廉森并未闡明“薩瑟蘭號(hào)”是否將駛?cè)胗袪?zhēng)議領(lǐng)土或中國(guó)所建人工島的12海里范圍內(nèi)——美國(guó)軍艦此前實(shí)施過(guò)這樣的行動(dòng)，北京方面對(duì)此憤怒不已。不過(guò)，威廉森表示，英國(guó)“絕對(duì)支持”美國(guó)在航行自由上的立場(chǎng)及其在南中國(guó)海的行動(dòng)。

“World dynamics are shifting so greatly. The US can only concentrate on so many things at once,’’ said Mr Williamson. “The US is looking for other countries to do more. This is a great opportunity for the UK and Australia to do more, to exercise leadership.”

“世界形勢(shì)正在發(fā)生巨變。美國(guó)一次只能專注于這么多事情。”威廉森說(shuō)，“美國(guó)希望其他國(guó)家做更多事情。對(duì)英國(guó)和澳大利亞而言，這是一個(gè)做更多事情、發(fā)揮領(lǐng)導(dǎo)力的好機(jī)會(huì)。”

The UK operation in the South China Sea follows a US freedom of navigation mission last month within 12 nautical miles of Scarborough Shoal, a rocky outcrop that has been the subject of a dispute between China and the Philippines.

上月，美國(guó)在斯卡伯勒淺灘(Scarborough Shoal，中國(guó)稱黃巖島——譯者注)12海里范圍內(nèi)執(zhí)行了一次航行自由行動(dòng)。斯卡伯勒淺灘是一處露出水面的巖礁，中國(guó)和菲律賓圍繞該淺灘存在領(lǐng)土爭(zhēng)端。

Beijing reacted angrily to the US mission, warning the US military not to threaten peace and stability by conducting such operations.

北京方面對(duì)美國(guó)的這次行動(dòng)作出憤怒回應(yīng)，警告美軍不要通過(guò)展開(kāi)這類行動(dòng)來(lái)威脅和平穩(wěn)定。

Euan Graham, analyst at Sydney’s Lowy Institute think-tank, said the planned UK operation in the South China Sea followed through with a UK commitment made last year to assert freedom of navigation rights in the region.

悉尼智庫(kù)洛伊研究所(Lowy Institute)的分析師尤安•格雷厄姆(Euan Graham)表示，英國(guó)所計(jì)劃的在南中國(guó)海的行動(dòng)，是要履行英國(guó)去年做出的在該地區(qū)宣示航行自由權(quán)的承諾。

“This is not a show of force by the UK and I doubt they will sail within 12 nautical miles of Chinese defence installations on disputed islands in the region,” he said. “Rather it is an opportunity to show the flag, a marker of British sovereignty, which says it isn’t just the US undertaking these operations and upholding the rule of law.”

“英國(guó)這并不是在炫耀武力，我認(rèn)為他們不會(huì)駛?cè)胫袊?guó)在該地區(qū)有爭(zhēng)議島嶼上的防衛(wèi)設(shè)施的12海里范圍內(nèi)。”他說(shuō)，“相反，這是一個(gè)展示國(guó)旗——英國(guó)主權(quán)標(biāo)志——的機(jī)會(huì)，相當(dāng)于表示，不只是美國(guó)在執(zhí)行這些行動(dòng)和維護(hù)法治。”

Mr Williamson told Australia’s state broadcaster that there was a need for vigilance over “any form of malign intent” from China, as the country seeks to become a superpower.

威廉森對(duì)澳大利亞國(guó)家廣播電視機(jī)構(gòu)表示，在中國(guó)尋求成為超級(jí)大國(guó)之際，需要警惕來(lái)自中國(guó)的“任何形式的惡意”。

“Australia [and] Britain see China as a country of great opportunities, but we shouldn't be blind to the ambition that China has and we've got to defend our national security interests,” he said.

他說(shuō)：“澳大利亞(和)英國(guó)視中國(guó)為一個(gè)擁有巨大機(jī)遇的國(guó)家，但我們不應(yīng)無(wú)視中國(guó)的野心，我們必須捍衛(wèi)我們的國(guó)家安全利益。”

Shen Dingli, professor of international relations at Fudan University in Shanghai, noted that while the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea allowed for naval ships of one country to pass peacefully through territorial waters of another country, “what Britain thinks of as peaceful, maybe China will not think of as peaceful”.

上海復(fù)旦大學(xué)國(guó)際關(guān)系教授沈丁立指出，雖然《聯(lián)合國(guó)海洋法公約》(UN Convention on the Law of the Sea)允許一個(gè)國(guó)家的海軍艦只以和平方式穿越另一個(gè)國(guó)家的領(lǐng)海，但“英國(guó)認(rèn)為的和平方式，或許中國(guó)不認(rèn)為是和平的”。

Shi Yinhong, an international relations professor at Renmin University in Beijing, said the US, Britain and Australia shared a common position on the South China Sea, which contrasted with China’s.

北京的中國(guó)人民大學(xué)國(guó)際關(guān)系教授時(shí)殷弘表示，美國(guó)、英國(guó)和澳大利亞在南中國(guó)海問(wèn)題上持共同立場(chǎng)，這一立場(chǎng)與中國(guó)的立場(chǎng)差異明顯。

“We can’t take this statement as a formal commitment but if it really happened then it would have a very bad influence on China-Britain relations,” he said. “China might take some retaliatory steps with regards to trade.”

“我們不能把這一聲明當(dāng)成正式承諾，但如果它真的發(fā)生了，那將對(duì)中英關(guān)系產(chǎn)生很壞的影響。”他說(shuō)，“中國(guó)可能會(huì)在貿(mào)易方面采取一些報(bào)復(fù)措施。”

Mr Shi said that so far only the US has performed freedom of navigation operations) in the South China Sea, although there has been debate about whether the Australian navy would also get involved.

時(shí)殷弘表示，迄今為止，只有美國(guó)在南中國(guó)海實(shí)施了航行自由行動(dòng)，盡管圍繞澳大利亞海軍是否也會(huì)參與進(jìn)來(lái)有過(guò)一些爭(zhēng)論。