Japan drags G7 into South China Sea spat

Apart from agreeing to sell military equipment to claimant countries and dispatching warships to "observe" US-Philippine maneuvers, Japan has decided to wade further into the South China Sea disputes by persuading other G7 nations to include territorial disputes in their communiqué.

日本近来动作频频，不但允许对主权国家出售军事装备，而且还派遣军舰“考察”美菲军事演习。显然，日本已经决定插手中国南海争端，而在本届G7峰会上，日本也试图说服其他G7国家将领土争端的议题写入联合公报中。

According to Japan’s Kyodo News Agency, G7 foreign ministers are expected to express concern at an upcoming meeting hosted by Japan over "China’s construction work and military deployment in the South China Sea."

据日本共同社报道，在即将由日方主持召开的关于探讨“中国在南中国海的建设工作和军事部署”的会议上，日本希望七国集团外交部长对此相关事件表达关切。

Kyodo went on to say that a statement on maritime security will be issued following the two-day meeting in Hiroshima from Saturday and that the ministers plan to voice strong opposition to "territorial claims through the use of threats or force."

共同社还说道，该项会议将从本周六开始在广岛举行，为期两天，在会议过后，将发表一份海上安全声明。在声明中，各国外长计划将强烈谴责“通过威胁和武力宣示主权”的行为。

"It is clear that Japan is trying to wade further into the South China Sea disputes and complicate the situation despite being an outsider," Lü Yaodong, director of the Institute of Japanese Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences told the Global Times. "Its strategy is to increase its influence in the region by strengthening ties with the claimant nations. [In the eyes of China,] it comes down to one explanation, that Japan wants to contain China."

中国社科院日本研究所所长刘耀东告诉《环球时报》，说：“很显然，日本想要插手中国南海领土争端、使地区局势复杂化，而不是甘当一个局外人。日本的策略是通过加强和周边主权国家的联系来增强自己在该地区的影响力。这些现象只有一个解释，那即是日本想要遏制中国。”

Japan’s move comes among concerted efforts as a UN-backed tribunal is set to announce its decision in the coming months on a legal challenge by Manila to Beijing’s territorial claims in the South China Sea.

日本此举是多方因素共同影响的结果。此前菲律宾曾因中国对南中国海的领土声明向联合国提出仲裁请求，而由联合国牵头组织的国际仲裁法庭将在下个月宣布对于这起法律纠纷的决议。

Japan also signed an agreement with the Philippines in February that allows it to sell military equipment to Manila, including advanced aircraft used for surveillance missions. Last week, two Japanese destroyers, the Ariake and Setogiri, and submarine Oyashio, were dispatched to "observe" joint US-Philippines military exercises for the first time in 15 years.

二月份的时候日本还和菲律宾签署了一项协议，该协议允许日本向菲律宾出售包括先进监视飞机在内的军事装备。上周，日本的两艘驱逐舰“有明号”、“濑户雾号”和潜艇“亲潮号”被派往“考察”美菲联合军事演习，而这是15年来首次开展类似的行动。

Analysts have also said that Japan’s ambition to wield influence in the South China Sea disputes would hurt Sino-Japanese ties, which are already faltering given the Diaoyu Islands disputes, wartime history and Japan’s recently enacted security laws that allow its troops to fight overseas.

分析人士称，受钓鱼岛领土争端、第二次世界大战、以及最近允许日本军队海外作战的新安保法案的影响，中日关系已经摇摇欲坠。而日本渴望插手中国南海事务的野心很有可能使得风雨飘摇的中日关系雪上加霜。

Japan invaded China and many other Asian countries during World War II and the security laws have unnerved countries like China and South Korea.

日本有曾在二战中侵略中国和许多其他亚洲国家的先例，所以这次通过的新安保法引起了中国和韩国等国家的强烈不满。

"Tensions in Sino-Japanese relations are gradually de-escalating, but only in some areas. Confrontation between the two countries will continue to exist for a long time," Shi Yinhong, director of the Center for American Studies at the Renmin University of China told the Global Times.

中国人民大学美国研究所所长时殷弘（音）对《环球时报》说道：“中日双边关系的紧张局势正在逐步升级，但也仅局限在某些方面。两国间的对抗将在此后一段时间内长期存在。”

He noted that the confrontation will not be as intense as when China and Japan sparred over the Diaoyu Islands, but given Japan’s ambition to expand its sway in the South China Sea, Sino-Japanese relations will take a hit in the foreseeable future.

他指出，中日两国间的对抗将不会像两国在应对在钓鱼岛问题上那样激烈，但鉴于日本渴望在中国南海扩大其影响的野心，可以预见在不远的将来中日两国关系将受到严重地影响。

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来源:Global Times爱语吧作者:陶祥飞