全球最大水上飞机在中国总装下线
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.
世界上最大的水上飞机AG600上周末在中国总装下线，这让中国的战略触角可伸展至其在南中国海宣称拥有的岛屿。
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”.
在未排除军事用途的同时，官方通讯社新华社称，这架水陆两栖飞机具备执行“森林灭火、水上救援”任务的能力。AG600的尺寸与波音737 (Boeing 737)相当。
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”.
新华社表示，设计制造AG600的中国航空工业集团公司(Aviation Industry Corporation of China)迄今已取得17架意向订单。新华社指出，AG600在海洋资源开发和勘探方面将会非常有用。
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拥有4台涡桨发动机和庞大的机身，机腹中心下面是船体。新华社表示，AG600也可用于环境监测、资源探测和运输。
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.
新华社的文章称，AG600最大航程达4500公里，可轻松地从中国海岸飞抵西太平洋许多地区，最远可达澳大利亚北部海岸。
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.
据中国媒体报道，AG600能携带12吨水扑灭森林火灾，还能一次救护50名遭遇海难的人员。
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也让中国增强了在南中国海的军事能力。中国在南中国海争议水域的造岛行为，让其与越南、菲律宾等邻国以及美国陷入了逐步升级的口水战。
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.
水上飞机上次大规模用于军事用途还是在二战期间，当时美国用它来在太平洋对日本发动“跳岛”战役。现代军事力量已很少使用水上飞机。
The aircraft gives Beijing the capacity to connect to island bases in remote locations without available airfields.
AG600让北京方面有能力将触角伸至遥远的、没有可用机场的岛屿基地。
