经济学人79:南海 非一般钻井

 The South China Sea南海Not the usual drill非一般钻井Tensions mount dangerously in contested waters争议水域局势紧张BARACK OBAMA'S tour of four countries in Asia late last month was supposed to reassure 1 America's friends of its commitment to the region, and to deter 2 China from provocations 3 in its many territorial 4 disputes. In the South China Sea, at least, the tactic 5 has not worked. China's quarrel with Vietnam, which had been dormant 6 in recent months, flared 7 up dangerously this week. And a new front opened in China's continuing tussle 8 with the Philippines over different parts of the sea.

奥巴马上月末访问亚洲四国，本应令盟友对其“重返亚洲”的承诺安心，并阻止中国挑起其诸多领土争端。但至少在南海，这个战略不起作用。中国与越南的纠纷缓和数月后，本周再度剑拔弩张。此外，中国与菲律宾又因持续不断的主权争议另一海域发生新冲突。
非一般钻井.jpgVietnam first. China sent its new $1 billion rig, the Haiyang Shiyou 981, to drill for oil in waters that Vietnam regards as inside the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) it is entitled to under the international law of the sea. Vietnam demanded that the rig be withdrawn 9 and sent nearly 30 coastguard vessels 10 to try to stop it starting work. A protective Chinese flotilla repulsed 11 them, ramming 12 one and firing water cannon 13 at others. China has declared a three-mile exclusion 14 zone around the rig, larger than is normal.
越南首当其冲。中国运送新的钻井平台“海洋石油981”进行海上石油钻探，平台价值10亿美元。越南认为中方作业区域位于其依国际海事法拥有的专属经济区内，要求中方撤离钻井平台，并派出近30艘海警船试图制止中方再度作业。中国护卫舰队驱逐了越方海警船，撞击一艘并向其余船只发射水炮。此前中方宣布“海洋石油981”钻井平台半径3海里范围为禁航区，这大于正常值。
It insists the rig is operating in its own waters. It appears to claim that the area is within the EEZ attached to an island chain it controls, which China calls Xisha and the Vietnamese Hoang Sa. The islands, the Paracels in English, have been occupied by China since 1974, when it drove out the former South Vietnamese regime. Vietnam still regards them as part of its territory.
中方坚持钻井平台的作业区完全位于本国海域，声称这片区域在其专属经济区内，连接着由中方控制的岛链（中国称之为西沙群岛，越南则称黄沙群岛）。这片岛链英语名称为Paracel，中国于1974年赶走岛上的越南政权后便占领了这里。但是越南仍视之为自己的领土。
As always, China's claim is hazy 15. It produces maps with a vast U-shaped area covering almost the entire South China Sea, enclosed in a “nine-dash line”, which it says gives it historic rights to the land inside. This uncertainty 16 has created tension in various parts of the sea, where the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan also have claims. The dispute with the Philippines is the most active. That, too, intensified 17 this week when the Philippines arrested 15 Chinese fishermen for poaching hundreds of endangered turtles in what it sees as its own waters.
中国的主张一如既往的含糊。它制作地图时划出一片巨大的U型地带，用九段虚线将几乎整个南海划在国土范围内，并称自古以来对里面的土地拥有主权。这个不明确性在各海域形成紧张气氛，包括菲律宾、马来西亚、文莱与台湾等国家和地区。其中与菲律宾的冲突最频繁。本周菲律宾扣留了15名中国渔民，理由是这些渔民在菲律宾视之为领海的地方偷捕濒危海龟，紧张局势再度升级。
Mr Obama's trip was marked by a beefing-up of America's security ties with the Philippines, but not by an explicit 18 American commitment to back it in the South China Sea. Vietnam is not an American ally, although relations have warmed in recent years, partly because of Vietnam's fear of China. America has condemned 19 China's “provocative” drilling plans but may prove powerless to thwart 20 them. That could undo 21 whatever progress Mr Obama made on the reassurance 22 front.
奥巴马此行被认为加强了美国与菲律宾的安全关系，而非美国重返南海的明确承诺。尽管近年美越关系好转，但越南并不是美国的盟友。部分原因是越南对中国的担心。美国谴责了中国的“挑衅性”钻探计划，但或许无法阻止该计划实行。那可能使得奥巴马在安抚盟友方面取得的进展功亏一篑。