中國強化對南中國海的領土主張

China is trying to bolster the legal basis for its maritime-security forces operating in contested areas of the South China Sea, threatening to complicate fraught relations with southern neighbors and drawing quick criticism from the U.S.

中國正試圖爲其在南中國海（中國稱南海）有爭議海域的海監執法行爲提供更充分的法律依據，這有可能令中國與南部鄰國之間本已令人擔憂的關係進一步複雜化，此舉也立即遭到了美國的批評。

A new regulation enacted by the southern island province of Hainan requires non-Chinese fishing vessels wanting to operate in the South China Sea to first obtain permission from China's central government.

海南省通過的一項新規規定，外國漁船進入海南管轄水域進行漁業生產或者漁業資源調查活動應當經國務院有關主管部門批准。

The new regulation is the latest move by China to assert its claim to disputed territories on its fringes. In November, China announced an air-control zone over the East China Sea, aggravating a dispute with Japan over a set of small islands. In the South China Sea, China has dislodged the Philippines from a contested shoal, and Chinese maritime security vessels have harassed Vietnamese fishermen and other Foreign commercial ships.

這一新規是中國在有爭議海域宣示主權的最新舉措。去年11月份，中國宣佈在東中國海（中國稱東海）劃設防空識別區，此舉令中日兩國圍繞一系列小島的領土爭端更趨惡化。在南中國海，中國將菲律賓人從一個有爭議的沙洲逐出，中國海監船還對越南漁民和別國商船進行騷擾。

'The passing of these restrictions on other countries' fishing activities in disputed portions of the South China Sea is a provocative and potentially dangerous act,' said U.S. State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki.

美國國務院發言人柏莎琪(Jen Psaki)稱，在南中國海有爭議水域對別國的漁業活動施加限制是挑釁和危險的行動。

The new Hainan rule, which took effect Jan. 1, is unlikely to have immediate effect on many non-Chinese fishermen operating in the South China Sea, and it remains unclear how strictly the regulations will be enforced. Chinese law already says foreign fishing vessels wishing to operate in Chinese waters must receive permission from Chinese central authorities, though the Hainan regulation appears to deal more directly with disputed waters in the South China Sea.

新規於今年1月1日起開始生效，短期內不太可能影響在南中國海作業的許多外國漁民，而且這些規定將在多大程度上實施還不清楚。中國的法律已經規定，那些希望在中國水域作業的外國捕魚船隻必須獲得中央政府許可，不過海南省出臺的新規似乎更直接指向了南中國海的爭議水域。

Enforcement, scholars and diplomats said, at least in the short term, would likely be limited to areas around the disputed Paracel Islands, which are closer to Hainan, and where Chinese maritime forces have a sizable presence.

學者和外交人士稱，至少在短期內，相關執法可能只限於存在爭議的帕拉塞爾羣島(Paracel Islands，中國稱西沙羣島)附近海域。帕拉塞爾羣島靠近海南，中國在那裏有相當規模的駐軍。

'The new regulation provides legal justification for what Chinese authorities have been doing for several years,' said Carlyle Thayer, emeritus professor at the Australian Defence Force Academy.

澳大利亞國防軍事學院(Australian Defense Force Academy)榮譽教授塞耶(Carlyle Thayer)說，新規爲中國當局數年來一直在做的事情提供了法律依據。

Civilian and military vessels patrol widely in the South China Sea, which it claims almost in its entirety. Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Brunei and Malaysia also have competing claims on the sea.

民間和軍方的船隻在南中國海進行大面積巡邏，中國稱整個海域的主權都屬於中國。越南、菲律賓、臺灣、文萊和馬來西亞也主張對這片海域的部分區域擁有主權。

'China has not offered any explanation or basis under international law for these extensive maritime claims,' the State Department's Ms. Psaki said.

美國國務院發言人柏莎琪說，中國未做任何解釋，也沒有說明這些寬泛的海域主權主張的國際法依據 。

Hainan is at the forefront of China's efforts to exert sway over the South China Sea. The island is a base for naval and other maritime security agencies and supplies outposts sprinkled among the sea's islets.

海南是中國努力在南中國海施加影響力的“前沿陣地”，是中國海軍和其它海事安全部門的基地，補給站散落在該海域的諸多小島上。

The Hainan island province passed another set of regulations in late 2012 asserting provincial security forces had the right to board foreign vessels operating in territory claimed by Beijing.

2012年末，海南出臺了另一套規定，稱省級海洋執法部隊有權登上進入中國主權海域的外國船隻。

The new regulation states that the foreign fishing vessels were required to obtain Beijing's permission to operate in Hainan's jurisdictional waters. The regulation doesn't spell out how far those waters extend.

新規規定，外國捕魚船須獲得中國政府的許可才能在海南省管轄水域作業。新規沒有就海南省管轄水域的範圍作具體說明。

Vietnam's Foreign Ministry didn't respond to a request to comment on the new regulations. The Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs referred to an earlier statement by spokesman Raul Hernandez, who on Wednesday was quoted by the Associated Press as saying his country's diplomats were seeking additional information on the new regulations.

越南外交部沒有迴應就新規置評的請求。菲律賓外交部提到了其發言人赫南德茲(Raul Hernandez)之前說的話。據美聯社(Associated Press)週三報道，赫南德茲表示，菲律賓外交人員正設法瞭解有關這項新規的進一步信息。

At a daily press briefing on Thursday, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying didn't respond directly to how the new regulations would be implemented. 'Its purpose is to strengthen the operation, development and rational utilization of fishery resources to protect fishery workers, ' she said.

中國外交部發言人華春瑩在週四的例行記者會上沒有直接回應將如何執行新規的問題。她說，新規的目的是爲了加強漁業資源的保護、增殖、開發和合理利用，維護漁業生產者合法權益。

The sea is home to critical shipping lanes, and may hold significant reserves of natural gas and oil.

南中國海擁有多條重要航道，可能還擁有儲量豐富的天然氣和石油。

The U.S., a longtime ally of the Philippines, says it doesn't take sides in the territorial disputes, but Secretary of State John Kerry said last month while visiting Vietnam said that the U.S. opposes 'coercive and aggressive tactics to advance territorial claims.'

菲律賓的長期盟友美國說，不會在領土爭議問題中採取立場。但美國國務卿克里(John Kerry)上月訪問越南時說，美國反對用強制和激進策略來擴大領土主張。

The Philippines and Vietnam have sparred openly with China in recent years, as the Chinese government worked more actively to establish control over the contested areas.

隨着中國政府更積極地建立對爭議海域的控制，近年來菲律賓和越南公開叫板中國。

In one incident, the Philippines and China were locked in a standoff over the Scarborough Shoal, fertile fishing ground west of Manila. China has since established effective control over Scarborough.

例如菲律賓和中國曾就斯卡伯勒淺灘(Scarborough Shoal，中國稱黃巖島)進行對峙。該地區位於馬尼拉以西，漁業資源豐富。後來中國在斯卡伯勒淺灘建立了有效控制。