全球最大水上飛機在中國總裝下線
The world’s largest Seaplane rolled off a production line in China at the weekend, beefing up the country’s strategic reach to islands it claims in the South China Sea.
世界上最大的水上飛機AG600上週末在中國總裝下線，這讓中國的戰略觸角可伸展至其在南中國海宣稱擁有的島嶼。
While not ruling out military uses, state news agency Xinhua said the amphibious aircraft, which is the size of Boeing 737, would be deployed to “fight forest fires and perform marine rescue missions”.
在未排除軍事用途的同時，官方通訊社新華社稱，這架水陸兩棲飛機具備執行“森林滅火、水上救援”任務的能力。AG600的尺寸與波音737 (Boeing 737)相當。
State-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China, which designed and produced the seaplane, had 17 orders so far, Xinhua added, noting that the aircraft would be “very useful in developing and exploiting marine resources”.
新華社表示，設計製造AG600的中國航空工業集團公司(Aviation Industry Corporation of China)迄今已取得17架意向訂單。新華社指出，AG600在海洋資源開發和勘探方面將會非常有用。
The AG600, which boasts four turboprop engines and a hulking body with a keel down the centre of the plane’s belly, could also be used for “environmental monitoring, resource detection and transportation,” Xinhua said .
AG600擁有4臺渦槳發動機和龐大的機身，機腹中心下面是船體。新華社表示，AG600也可用於環境監測、資源探測和運輸。
The article said the AG600 has a range of 4,500km — a distance that comfortably covers much of the western Pacific Ocean from China’s coast, and as far as the northern shores of Australia.
新華社的文章稱，AG600最大航程達4500公里，可輕鬆地從中國海岸飛抵西太平洋許多地區，最遠可達澳大利亞北部海岸。
According to Chinese media reports, the aircraft is capable of carrying 12 tonnes of water for dousing forest fires, and could rescue up to 50 shipwreck victims at a time.
據中國媒體報道，AG600能攜帶12噸水撲滅森林火災，還能一次救護50名遭遇海難的人員。
However, the AG600 also adds to China’s military additional capabilities in the South China Sea, where Beijing is locked in an escalating war of words with neighbouring countries such as Vietnam and the Philippines — as well as the US — over its efforts to build islands in disputed waters.
然而，AG600也讓中國增強了在南中國海的軍事能力。中國在南中國海爭議水域的造島行爲，讓其與越南、菲律賓等鄰國以及美國陷入了逐步升級的口水戰。
Seaplanes last saw large-scale military use by the US against the Japanese during the second world war’s “island hopping” Pacific campaigns. However, they are little used by modern military forces.
水上飛機上次大規模用於軍事用途還是在二戰期間，當時美國用它來在太平洋對日本發動“跳島”戰役。現代軍事力量已很少使用水上飛機。
The aircraft gives Beijing the capacity to connect to island bases in remote locations without available airfields.
AG600讓北京方面有能力將觸角伸至遙遠的、沒有可用機場的島嶼基地。
