英字新聞

The Yomiuri Shimbun
China’s disregard for international law glaringly apparent at ASEAN
ＡＳＥＡＮ会議　中国の国際法無視が目に余る

Beijing continues to reject the court of arbitration’s decision dismissing the country’s self-serving claims that its sovereignty covers almost all the area in the South China Sea. We believe such a high-handed stance can never be accepted.
　南シナ海のほぼ全域に主権が及ぶという独善的な主張を否定した仲裁裁判所の判決を拒否し続ける。そんな中国の横暴は決して許されまい。

Foreign ministers gathered for meetings of the East Asia Summit − Japan, the United States, China and Southeast Asian countries are among the members − and the ASEAN Regional Forum.
　日米中や東南アジアなどによる東アジア首脳会議（ＥＡＳ）と東南アジア諸国連合（ＡＳＥＡＮ）地域フォーラム（ＡＲＦ）の外相会議が開かれた。

Regarding Beijing’s moves to militarize the South China Sea, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry called for China to respect the ruling, saying, “It is an arbitration, the results of which ... is legally binding.”
　中国が南シナ海で軍事拠点化を進める問題について、ケリー米国務長官は、「仲裁の結果には法的拘束力がある」と述べ、中国に判決を尊重するよう要求した。

Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida followed suit, stressing, “Parties concerned should comply with the court of arbitration, which will contribute to solving the issue.”
　岸田外相も、「仲裁裁判に紛争当事国が従うことで、問題の解決につながる」と強調した。

It is crucial for Japan, the United States and other countries concerned to work together to keep urging China to abide by the ruling.
　日米など関係国が結束して、中国に判決の順守を促し続けることが肝要である。

During a meeting with Kishida, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called for Japan to be discreet in word and deed because Tokyo is “not a party concerned in the South China Sea issue.” This cannot be overlooked.
　看過できないのは、中国の王毅外相が岸田外相との会談で、「日本は南シナ海問題の当事国ではない」などと強弁し、言行を慎むよう求めたことだ。

It is nothing less than in the common interest of the international community to maintain order in the South China Sea based on the rule of law, and ensure freedom of navigation. We regard Wang’s claims as unreasonable.
　「法の支配」に基づく南シナ海の秩序維持と航行の自由の確保は国際社会共通の利益にほかならない。王氏の主張は筋違いだ。

Following the ruling, Beijing announced that it had sent new bombers on patrol around the Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea, which is close to the Philippines. The country said it will regularly conduct such missions, and has also expressed a policy to continue building artificial islands in the area. A series of such moves will only heighten tension.
　中国は判決後、フィリピンに近い南シナ海のスカボロー礁付近で新型爆撃機の巡視飛行を実施したと発表した。今後は常態化させるという。人工島の施設建設を続ける方針も示している。一連の行動は緊張を高めるだけだ。

Apparent maneuver

Ahead of the EAS meeting, foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations issued a joint statement at their gathering, which said they “remain seriously concerned” over current developments in the South China Sea. The document failed to directly refer to the ruling because of strong opposition from Cambodia, which receives huge amounts of economic assistance from China.
　ＥＡＳ外相会議に先立ち、ＡＳＥＡＮ外相会議は共同声明で、南シナ海の現状に対し、「深刻な懸念」を表明した。判決に直接言及しなかったのは、中国から大規模な経済支援を受けているカンボジアが強硬に反対したためだ。

“Only one country mentioned the court of arbitration during this meeting,” Wang said, with an eye on the Philippines. Chinese President Xi Jinping’s administration, which suffered a serious diplomatic setback from the ruling, apparently believed that it was able to regain lost ground by splitting ASEAN members.
　王氏は、フィリピンを念頭に、「会議で仲裁裁判に触れたのは１か国だけだ」と語った。判決で外交上の大敗北を喫した習近平政権はＡＳＥＡＮを切り崩し、巻き返しを図ったつもりなのだろう。

We suspect that China is also drawing up a scenario to woo the Philippines, which has just undergone a change of administration, to set aside the ruling and hold talks.
　判決を棚上げしたまま、政権交代したばかりのフィリピンを懐柔して対話に持ち込む。こんな筋書きも描いているのではないか。

Wang announced that China had set a target of completing the establishment of a code of conduct with ASEAN − which would legally bind moves by countries concerned in the South China Sea − by the first half of next year. Beijing’s reluctance has so far hampered talks on the envisioned set of rules between the two sides.
　王氏は、南シナ海での関係国の行動を法的に拘束する行動規範について、来年上半期までに策定を完了する目標を明らかにした。これまでＡＳＥＡＮとの協議では、中国の消極姿勢が障害だった。

China presented the target apparently with the aim of fending off criticism from ASEAN. We cannot believe that China, which disregards international law, will seriously engage in the establishment of multinational rules. Countries concerned should beef up pressure on China to give the code of conduct more teeth.
　時期の明示には、ＡＳＥＡＮ側の批判をかわす狙いがあろう。国際法を蔑ないがしろにする中国が国際ルールの策定に真摯しんしに取り組むとは思えない。関係国は、行動規範の実効性を高めるよう対中圧力を強めるべきである。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, July 27, 2016)