澳大利亞擬與印尼聯合巡邏南海
Australia is considering joint military patrols with Indonesia in the contested waters of the South China Sea amid growing concerns in the west that a Beijing diplomatic offensive in Southeast Asia is upending the region’s balance of power.
澳大利亞正在考慮與印度尼西亞在南中國海的爭議水域進行聯合軍事巡邏，目前西方日益擔憂北京在東南亞的外交攻勢正在打破該地區的均勢。
Julie Bishop, Australia’s foreign minister, confirmed on Tuesday that Canberra was exploring options with Jakarta aimed at increasing maritime co-operation, including co-ordinated activities in the South China Sea and the Sulu Sea.
澳大利亞外長畢曉普(Julie Bishop)週二證實，澳大利亞正與印尼探討加強海上合作的方案，包括在南中國海和蘇祿海協調行動。
“This is all consistent with our policy of exercising our right of freedom of navigation,” said Ms Bishop. “And that is in accordance with international law and our support for peace, stability and security in the region.”
“這一切都與我們行使航行自由權的政策一致，”畢曉普說，“同時這符合國際法以及我們對該地區和平、穩定及安全的支持。”
China has laid claim to almost the entire South China Sea, a vital trade route and a lucrative fisheries area. This has led to tensions with Asian neighbours and Washington, which has vowed to uphold the rule of law and freedom of navigation.
南海上有關鍵的貿易航線，還有豐富的漁業資源。中國宣稱對幾乎整個南中國海擁有主權。這導致中國與亞洲鄰國以及美國的關係緊張，華盛頓方面誓言要維護法治和航行自由。
The US has called on Australia, a strategic ally, to take a more assertive stance towards China’s claims. But so far Australia, which counts China as its biggest trading partner with A$150bn ($115bn) worth of two-way trade in 2015, has taken a cautious approach for fear of escalating tensions.
美國呼籲其戰略盟友澳大利亞對中國的主張採取更強硬的立場。但因爲擔心加劇緊張，澳大利亞到目前爲止採取了謹慎的策略。中國是澳大利亞最大的貿易伙伴，兩國2015年的雙邊貿易額達到1500億澳元（合1150億美元）。
Domestic pressure has been growing on Joko Widodo, Indonesia’s president, to abandon the country’s neutrality on regional maritime disputes and lend more support to neighbours such as Vietnam, which have stood up to China more forcefully. This follows tensions between Jakarta and Beijing over fishing rights in the region, which led the Indonesian navy to fire warning shots at Chinese fishing boats this year.
印尼總統佐科.維多多(Joko Widodo)在國內受到越來越大的壓力，要求他放棄印尼在地區海洋主權爭端中的中立姿態，對越南等更有力地對抗中國的鄰國給予更多支持。此前，印尼和中國因該地區的漁業捕撈權陷入緊張，今年印尼海軍曾對中國漁船鳴槍示警。
Indonesia’s defence minister Ryamizad Ryacudu raised the prospect of joint patrols during an annual meeting last week with Ms Bishop and Marise Payne, Australia’s defence minister. It comes as Mr Widodo prepares to address Australia’s parliament next week on his first state visit to the country.
印尼國防部長里亞米扎德.里亞庫杜(Ryamizad Ryacudu)在上週與畢曉普和澳大利亞防長馬里斯.佩恩(Marise Payne)舉行的年度會晤期間提出了聯合軍事巡邏的可能性。與此同時，維多多正準備下周在對澳大利亞進行首次國事訪問期間對澳大利亞議會發表演講。
“This is a very significant development. It sends a signal to Beijing that not all Southeast Asian countries are kowtowing to it over the South China Sea,” said Euan Graham, analyst at the Sydney-based Lowy Institute.
“這是一個非常重要的事態發展。這向北京方面發出了一個信號，並非所有的東南亞國家都在南海問題上對其俯首，”悉尼羅伊研究所(Lowy Institute)的分析師尤安.格雷厄姆(Euan Graham)說。
The discussions on joint patrols come at a testing time, amid western fears that China is using its growing economic power to to dislodge Asian countries from Washington’s orbit, altering the balance of power in the region established after the second world war.
有關澳大利亞和印尼聯合巡邏的討論發生在一個關鍵時刻，其背景是西方擔心，中國正利用其與日俱增的經濟實力把亞洲國家撬出華盛頓方面的軌道，改變該地區在二戰後確立的實力平衡。
Najib Razak, Malaysia’s prime minister, is in Beijing on a state visit this week aimed at deepening economic and military ties. During a visit to China last month Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte declared his country’s “separation” from the US, a treaty ally.
馬來西亞總理納吉布.拉扎克(Najib Razak)本週在北京進行國事訪問，尋求深化兩國的經濟和軍事聯繫。在上月訪華期間，菲律賓總統羅德里戈.杜特爾特(Rodrigo Duterte)宣佈他的國家與其條約盟友美國“分離”。
In February Washington took the unusual step of publicly asking Australia to undertake “freedom of navigation” operations by sailing naval patrols within 12 nautical miles of Beijing-controlled territory. But so far Canberra has not sailed that close — an action that would directly challenge China’s claims to territorial waters.
今年2月，美國採取不同尋常的舉動，公開促請澳大利亞展開“航行自由”行動，在中國控制地物周邊12海里範圍內進行海軍巡邏。但到目前爲止，澳大利亞海軍艦船尚未駛入如此抵近中國控制地物的海域——此舉將直接挑戰中國所主張的領海主權。
Beijing has warned Canberra not to meddle in the dispute. Following a debate between the Australian government and the opposition Labor party this month about its policy towards freedom of navigation, China’s defence ministry issued a statement urging Canberra to “speak and act cautiously” on the South China Sea.
中國一直警告澳大利亞不要干涉這一爭端。在澳大利亞政府和反對黨工黨(Labor party)上月就航行自由政策展開辯論後，中國國防部發布聲明，敦促澳大利亞在南中國海問題上“謹言慎行”。
“The Chinese are playing a pretty smart game of carrot and stick in the region,” said Hugh White, professor of strategic studies at Australian National University.
澳大利亞國立大學(Australian National University)戰略研究教授休.懷特(Hugh White)表示：“中國正在該地區玩一個相當聰明的胡蘿蔔加大棒的遊戲。”
“Reports that Beijing is allowing Filipino fishermen back to the Scarborough Shoal after Duterte’s visit to Beijing suggests Beijing knows which pedals to push,” he added, referring to a strategic outcrop that had been off-limits since China seized it from the Philippines in 2012.
他補充稱：“有報道稱，在杜特爾特訪華後，中國正允許菲律賓漁民回到斯卡伯勒淺灘（Scarborough Shoal，中國稱黃巖島——譯者注），這似乎表明北京方面知道該怎麼做。”他指的是南海一個具有戰略意義的環礁，自從2012年中國從菲律賓手中奪取該島的控制權後，一直禁止菲律賓漁民進入。
Mr White said Canberra and Jakarta had been careful to steer a middle course on the South China Sea and he doubted whether any joint patrols would challenge the 12 nautical mile boundary. But he said their establishment was a significant move as both countries were showing a willingness to stand up to Beijing without being too provocative.
懷特表示，澳大利亞和印尼一直在南中國海問題上謹慎採取中間路線，他對於聯合巡邏將挑戰12海里界限表示懷疑。但他表示，此舉意義重大，因爲兩國都在表明願意在不過於挑釁的前提下與中國抗爭。
“This shows Australia and Indonesia doing something they have seldom done in the past — working together on a broader strategic issue affecting the region,” he said.
他表示：“這表明，澳大利亞和印尼正在做過去很少做的事情：在一個影響整個地區的全局性戰略問題上展開合作。”
