中比対立激化 尖閣諸島でも警戒が必要だ

The Yomiuri Shimbun (May. 25, 2012)
China-Philippine confrontation a warning for Senkakus
中比対立激化　尖閣諸島でも警戒が必要だ（5月24日付・読売社説）

A confrontation between China--which has been building up its military in recent years--and the Philippines is intensifying over marine interests in the South China Sea. We urge both countries to engage in dialogue to prevent the dispute from escalating into military conflict.
　南シナ海の海洋権益を巡り、軍事力を膨張させる中国とフィリピンとの対立が先鋭化してきた。対話を通じ、武力衝突を回避してもらいたい。

The confrontation started April 10 when a Philippine Navy warship inspected Chinese fishing vessels at Scarborough Shoal, which is called Huangyan Island in China. Beijing immediately responded by sending patrol ships to the area, and a standoff between Chinese and Philippine vessels in the waters has continued for more than one month.
　南シナ海のスカボロー礁（中国名・黄岩島）で４月１０日、中国漁船がフィリピン海軍艦艇の立ち入り検査を受けたのを端緒に、中国が巡視船を派遣した。双方の艦船がにらみ合う状況が、もう１か月以上続いている。

Beijing and Manila both claim sovereignty over Scarborough Shoal.
　スカボロー礁を巡っては、中比双方が領有権を主張している。

The Philippines has proposed that the territorial dispute be resolved through the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea. It also has strengthened military ties with the United States--which recently unveiled a new defense strategy that places greater emphasis on Asia--through such measures as conducting joint military exercises. This appears to be an attempt to counter the huge military pressure from China.
　フィリピンは国際海洋法裁判所で領有権問題を解決するよう提案した。さらに、「アジア重視」の国防戦略を打ち出した米国と、合同軍事演習を行うなど軍事協力を緊密化した。中国の強大な軍事圧力に対抗するためだろう。

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Beijing's overwhelming power

Beijing issued a strong warning against the recent moves by Manila: "The Chinese side has made all preparations to respond to any escalation of the situation by the Philippine side."
　これに対し中国は、「フィリピン側による事態の拡大に対応するための様々な準備ができている」と、強い警告を発した。

China's naval might is far superior to that of the Philippines and other nations near China. China even has a plan to deploy its first aircraft carrier soon. We urge China to refrain from taking a hard-line stance on the standoff.
　フィリピンなど周辺国に比べて中国の海軍力は圧倒的だ。近い将来、空母配備の計画まである。中国は強硬姿勢を自制すべきだ。

Overreactions to the dispute have already emerged in China--travel agencies have suspended tours to the Philippines, and the government has stepped up quarantine inspections on bananas grown in the Philippines. The government has justified these responses by citing an increase of anti-China protests in the Philippines and the detection of pests in bananas, but it is likely that Beijing is attempting to pressure Manila over the shoal dispute.
　中国の旅行会社がフィリピン観光を中止し、中国政府が比産バナナに対する検疫強化にまで出たのは過剰な反応だ。フィリピン国内での反中デモの高まりやバナナの害虫を理由としているが、フィリピンを圧迫する狙いがあろう。

China's reaction has shades of its response to the collisions between a Chinese fishing boat and Japan Coast Guard patrol vessels near the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea in autumn 2010. After this incident, Beijing piled pressure on Tokyo by restricting exports of rare earth minerals to Japan, for instance.
　一昨年秋、東シナ海の尖閣諸島沖で起きた中国漁船衝突事件の後、レアアース（希土類）の輸出規制などで対日圧力を強めた手法と似通っている。

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Don't turn blind eye to dispute

Japan cannot afford to ignore the Scarborough Shoal dispute, as the nation faces similar friction with China, which claims sovereignty over the Senkaku Islands.
　尖閣諸島に対し領有権を主張する中国との摩擦を抱える日本にとっても、人ごとではない。

Chinese fisheries surveillance vessels routinely sail around the Senkaku Islands to make their presence felt. China's strategy of using fishing boats and fisheries patrol vessels to give the irreversible impression that the area belongs to China is identical to what is happening in the South China Sea. Japan must not let the situation in the East China Sea deteriorate to what is going on in the South China Sea.
　尖閣諸島周辺では、中国の漁業監視船の示威行動が常態化している。漁船と監視船を組み合わせた行動で「中国の海」の既成事実化を図る中国の作戦は、南シナ海と同じだ。日本は東シナ海の南シナ海化を警戒せねばならない。

Peace and stability in the South China Sea is not only crucial for nations in Southeast Asia. It also is in Japan's national interest to ensure that its sea lanes remain safe.
　南シナ海の平和と安定は、東南アジア諸国にとって不可欠であるだけでなく、シーレーン（海上交通路）の安全確保という観点から日本の国益でもある。

The Japanese government plans to use official development assistance to provide the Philippines with patrol vessels for its coast guard. This will help the Philippines strengthen its maritime security, and also be important in making China pause to think.
　日本は政府開発援助（ＯＤＡ）を活用して、フィリピンに巡視船を供与する方針だ。フィリピンの海上警備の一助となるし、中国をけん制する上でも重要だろう。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, May 24, 2012)
（2012年5月24日01時31分 読売新聞）