澳大利亚拟与印尼联合巡逻南海
Australia is considering joint military patrols with Indonesia in the contested waters of the South China Sea amid growing concerns in the west that a Beijing diplomatic offensive in Southeast Asia is upending the region’s balance of power.
澳大利亚正在考虑与印度尼西亚在南中国海的争议水域进行联合军事巡逻，目前西方日益担忧北京在东南亚的外交攻势正在打破该地区的均势。
Julie Bishop, Australia’s foreign minister, confirmed on Tuesday that Canberra was exploring options with Jakarta aimed at increasing maritime co-operation, including co-ordinated activities in the South China Sea and the Sulu Sea.
澳大利亚外长毕晓普(Julie Bishop)周二证实，澳大利亚正与印尼探讨加强海上合作的方案，包括在南中国海和苏禄海协调行动。
“This is all consistent with our policy of exercising our right of freedom of navigation,” said Ms Bishop. “And that is in accordance with international law and our support for peace, stability and security in the region.”
“这一切都与我们行使航行自由权的政策一致，”毕晓普说，“同时这符合国际法以及我们对该地区和平、稳定及安全的支持。”
China has laid claim to almost the entire South China Sea, a vital trade route and a lucrative fisheries area. This has led to tensions with Asian neighbours and Washington, which has vowed to uphold the rule of law and freedom of navigation.
南海上有关键的贸易航线，还有丰富的渔业资源。中国宣称对几乎整个南中国海拥有主权。这导致中国与亚洲邻国以及美国的关系紧张，华盛顿方面誓言要维护法治和航行自由。
The US has called on Australia, a strategic ally, to take a more assertive stance towards China’s claims. But so far Australia, which counts China as its biggest trading partner with A$150bn ($115bn) worth of two-way trade in 2015, has taken a cautious approach for fear of escalating tensions.
美国呼吁其战略盟友澳大利亚对中国的主张采取更强硬的立场。但因为担心加剧紧张，澳大利亚到目前为止采取了谨慎的策略。中国是澳大利亚最大的贸易伙伴，两国2015年的双边贸易额达到1500亿澳元（合1150亿美元）。
Domestic pressure has been growing on Joko Widodo, Indonesia’s president, to abandon the country’s neutrality on regional maritime disputes and lend more support to neighbours such as Vietnam, which have stood up to China more forcefully. This follows tensions between Jakarta and Beijing over fishing rights in the region, which led the Indonesian navy to fire warning shots at Chinese fishing boats this year.
印尼总统佐科.维多多(Joko Widodo)在国内受到越来越大的压力，要求他放弃印尼在地区海洋主权争端中的中立姿态，对越南等更有力地对抗中国的邻国给予更多支持。此前，印尼和中国因该地区的渔业捕捞权陷入紧张，今年印尼海军曾对中国渔船鸣枪示警。
Indonesia’s defence minister Ryamizad Ryacudu raised the prospect of joint patrols during an annual meeting last week with Ms Bishop and Marise Payne, Australia’s defence minister. It comes as Mr Widodo prepares to address Australia’s parliament next week on his first state visit to the country.
印尼国防部长里亚米扎德.里亚库杜(Ryamizad Ryacudu)在上周与毕晓普和澳大利亚防长马里斯.佩恩(Marise Payne)举行的年度会晤期间提出了联合军事巡逻的可能性。与此同时，维多多正准备下周在对澳大利亚进行首次国事访问期间对澳大利亚议会发表演讲。
“This is a very significant development. It sends a signal to Beijing that not all Southeast Asian countries are kowtowing to it over the South China Sea,” said Euan Graham, analyst at the Sydney-based Lowy Institute.
“这是一个非常重要的事态发展。这向北京方面发出了一个信号，并非所有的东南亚国家都在南海问题上对其俯首，”悉尼罗伊研究所(Lowy Institute)的分析师尤安.格雷厄姆(Euan Graham)说。
The discussions on joint patrols come at a testing time, amid western fears that China is using its growing economic power to to dislodge Asian countries from Washington’s orbit, altering the balance of power in the region established after the second world war.
有关澳大利亚和印尼联合巡逻的讨论发生在一个关键时刻，其背景是西方担心，中国正利用其与日俱增的经济实力把亚洲国家撬出华盛顿方面的轨道，改变该地区在二战后确立的实力平衡。
Najib Razak, Malaysia’s prime minister, is in Beijing on a state visit this week aimed at deepening economic and military ties. During a visit to China last month Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte declared his country’s “separation” from the US, a treaty ally.
马来西亚总理纳吉布.拉扎克(Najib Razak)本周在北京进行国事访问，寻求深化两国的经济和军事联系。在上月访华期间，菲律宾总统罗德里戈.杜特尔特(Rodrigo Duterte)宣布他的国家与其条约盟友美国“分离”。
In February Washington took the unusual step of publicly asking Australia to undertake “freedom of navigation” operations by sailing naval patrols within 12 nautical miles of Beijing-controlled territory. But so far Canberra has not sailed that close — an action that would directly challenge China’s claims to territorial waters.
今年2月，美国采取不同寻常的举动，公开促请澳大利亚展开“航行自由”行动，在中国控制地物周边12海里范围内进行海军巡逻。但到目前为止，澳大利亚海军舰船尚未驶入如此抵近中国控制地物的海域——此举将直接挑战中国所主张的领海主权。
Beijing has warned Canberra not to meddle in the dispute. Following a debate between the Australian government and the opposition Labor party this month about its policy towards freedom of navigation, China’s defence ministry issued a statement urging Canberra to “speak and act cautiously” on the South China Sea.
中国一直警告澳大利亚不要干涉这一争端。在澳大利亚政府和反对党工党(Labor party)上月就航行自由政策展开辩论后，中国国防部发布声明，敦促澳大利亚在南中国海问题上“谨言慎行”。
“The Chinese are playing a pretty smart game of carrot and stick in the region,” said Hugh White, professor of strategic studies at Australian National University.
澳大利亚国立大学(Australian National University)战略研究教授休.怀特(Hugh White)表示：“中国正在该地区玩一个相当聪明的胡萝卜加大棒的游戏。”
“Reports that Beijing is allowing Filipino fishermen back to the Scarborough Shoal after Duterte’s visit to Beijing suggests Beijing knows which pedals to push,” he added, referring to a strategic outcrop that had been off-limits since China seized it from the Philippines in 2012.
他补充称：“有报道称，在杜特尔特访华后，中国正允许菲律宾渔民回到斯卡伯勒浅滩（Scarborough Shoal，中国称黄岩岛——译者注），这似乎表明北京方面知道该怎么做。”他指的是南海一个具有战略意义的环礁，自从2012年中国从菲律宾手中夺取该岛的控制权后，一直禁止菲律宾渔民进入。
Mr White said Canberra and Jakarta had been careful to steer a middle course on the South China Sea and he doubted whether any joint patrols would challenge the 12 nautical mile boundary. But he said their establishment was a significant move as both countries were showing a willingness to stand up to Beijing without being too provocative.
怀特表示，澳大利亚和印尼一直在南中国海问题上谨慎采取中间路线，他对于联合巡逻将挑战12海里界限表示怀疑。但他表示，此举意义重大，因为两国都在表明愿意在不过于挑衅的前提下与中国抗争。
“This shows Australia and Indonesia doing something they have seldom done in the past — working together on a broader strategic issue affecting the region,” he said.
他表示：“这表明，澳大利亚和印尼正在做过去很少做的事情：在一个影响整个地区的全局性战略问题上展开合作。”
