中國大陸承諾爲臺灣漁民提供護漁服務大綱
The Sino-Japanese dispute over a contested group of islands in the East China Sea took another turn on Wednesday when Beijing vowed to protect fishing boats from Taiwan – which also claims the islands – from the Japanese coast guard.
中日圍繞東海一個有爭議羣島的糾紛週三出現一個新的轉折，北京方面誓言保護臺灣漁船（臺灣也宣稱擁有相關海島的主權）不受日本海上保安廳的驅趕。
The pledge highlights efforts by Beijing to seize on regional territorial disputes to strengthen its sovereignty claim over Taiwan itself, amid improving cross-Strait ties.
這一承諾突顯出，在臺海兩岸關係好轉的大背景下，北京方面以地區性領土糾紛爲契機，努力加強其對臺灣本身的主權主張。
“Mainland government ships are already providing services to fishermen from both sides of the Strait,” said Beijing’s Taiwan Affairs Office. “The two sides of the strait are one family. Brothers, even if they argue at home, should stand united against aggression from outside.”
“大陸公務船已經並將繼續在該海域巡航執法、護漁維權，爲兩岸漁民提供服務，”北京的國務院臺灣事務辦公室表示。“兩岸同胞是一家人，‘兄弟鬩於牆，外禦其侮’。”
The statement follows a confrontation this week between the Japanese and Taiwanese coast guards near the Senkaku Islands, which are controlled by Japan but claimed by Beijing and Taipei.
北京方面作出這一聲明之前，本週日本海上保安廳和臺灣海岸巡防署艦船在尖閣諸島（Senkaku Islands，中國稱其爲“釣魚島及其附屬島嶼”——譯者注）附近海域發生對峙。這個羣島在日本實際控制之下，但北京和臺北宣稱擁有其主權。
The Taiwanese coast guard vessels were escorting fishing vessels that sailed into Japanese territorial waters off the islands to protest Japan’s recent decision to purchase them from their private Japanese owner.
臺灣海巡署艦船當時在爲進入這些島嶼周圍日本領海的漁船提供護航，臺灣漁船此舉是爲了抗議日本中央政府近期決定從私人所有者手中買下這些海島。
While Taiwan’s claim to the Senkaku overlaps with Beijing’s, Taipei is normally low-key about it. Fifty years of Japanese rule between 1895 and 1945 have left Taiwan with a close affinity to Japan which sharply contrasts with the anti-Japanese sentiment in China. Since the Kuomintang party was defeated by the Communists in the Chinese civil war and fled to Taiwan in 1949, Beijing has claimed the island as its territory and threatened to take it with military force.
儘管臺灣對尖閣諸島的主權主張與北京的主張重疊，但臺北方面通常低調對待這個問題。從1895年至1945年，50年的日治時期使臺灣與日本結緣，這與中國大陸的反日情緒形成反差。自1949年國民黨在中國內戰中被共產黨擊敗，逃到臺灣以來，北京方面一直聲稱該島是其領土，並威脅用武力攻佔臺灣。
The extent to which China and Taiwan have come closer since Ma Ying-jeou became Taiwanese president in 2008 has raised some concerns regionally and in Washington about what could happen if the two began to co-operate militarily.
自2008年馬英九(Ma Ying-jeou)成爲臺灣總統以來，中國大陸和臺灣關係走近的程度已引起本地區和華盛頓一些人士的擔憂，他們擔心的是，如果臺海兩岸在軍事上開始合作將會發生什麼。
Analysts say any sign of Taiwan cosying up to China would affect east Asia’s security architecture as the island is unofficially part of the US alliance network in the region.
分析人士表示，臺灣與中國大陸聯手的任何跡象，都將影響東亞的安全架構，因爲該島是美國在本地區同盟網絡的非正式成員。
Richard Bush, a former chairman of the American Institute in Taiwan, the US representative office in Taipei, last month said that while economic issues have led the past few years of cross-Strait talks, “there has been talk, particularly on the mainland, about moving into political and security areas”.
曾任美國在臺灣的代表處——美國在臺協會(American Institute in Taiwan)主席的卜睿哲(Richard Bush)上月表示，儘管經濟議題在過去幾年主導着兩岸商談，但“有一些探討政治和安全領域事項的言論，尤其是在大陸方面。”
One Taiwanese envoy who has held unofficial talks with China said people close to the Chinese military have repeatedly suggested that the mainland and Taiwan could co-operate in areas such as search and rescue in the South China Sea.
曾與大陸方面舉行非正式商談的一名臺灣特使表示，接近中國軍方的人士多次提議，大陸和臺灣可在南海進行搜救方面的合作。
But Taiwan is keen to avoid just this. It cherishes its de-facto independence and relies on the US for protection against China’s claim of sovereignty and Beijing’s threat to use force to reclaim it.
但是臺灣努力迴避這種合作。臺方珍視其事實上的獨立，並依靠美國抵禦中國的主權主張和北京方面的動武威脅。
The US’s Taiwan Relations Act requires that America help Taiwan defend itself in the case of aggression from China. Doubts about Taipei’s loyalties could undermine support in Washington to this commitment, which is already less popular as it is a constant irritant in US ties with China.
美國《與臺灣關係法》(Taiwan Relations Act)要求美方在臺灣遭到中國侵犯的情況下協防颱灣。對於臺北方面忠誠度的疑慮，可能削弱華盛頓對這一承諾的支持。美方對這一承諾的支持度已經有所降低，因爲它是美中關係中一個持續存在的麻煩。
