王天迷

By Wang Tianmi

据德国《法兰克福汇报》2日报道，多名外交部和国防部高级官员透露，一艘德国护卫舰将在今年8月初启程前往印太地区，大约6个月后回程时计划途经南海。路透社称，这将是2002年以来首艘穿航南海的德国军舰。

A German frigate would set sail for the Indo-Pacific region early August this year and sail through the South China Sea on its way back about six months later, reported the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ), a German newspaper, on March 2 citing several senior officials at the German foreign and defense ministries. Reuters said it that would be the first German warship crossing the South China Sea since 2002.

《法兰克福汇报》称，德国军舰此行意在提升德国在印太地区的影响力，这与德国政府去年9月在印太政策指导方针中提出的目标相符，并认为德国此举已表明其反对中国在南海争议地区主权声索的立场。

The German newspaper analyzed that the voyage was intended to enhance Germany’s regional influence in the Indo-Pacific, which falls in line with the goals that Berlin set in its Indo-Pacific policy guidelines last September. The newspaper added that the maritime operation clearly demonstrated Berlin’s opposition to China’s sovereign claims in disputed waters of the South China Sea.

最近一段时间，欧洲国家在南海问题上频刷“存在感”。据法国媒体报道，2月初，法国一艘核潜艇在支援舰的相伴下穿越南海海域。接着在2月18日，法国又派出一艘两栖攻击舰和一艘护卫舰前往太平洋地区执行为期3个月的任务，香港《南华早报》称，在这期间，两艘军舰将两次经过南海，并计划在5月同美国、日本进行联合军演。

European countries have been active recently to intensify their “presence” on the South China Sea issue. A French nuclear submarine crossed waters of the region in the company of a support ship in early February, followed by an amphibious assault ship and a frigate heading on February 18 for the Pacific Ocean for a three-month mission, French media reported. According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the two military ships will pass the South China Sea twice on the way and are set to carry out joint military exercises with their American and Japanese counterparts in May.

另据英国《泰晤士报》近日报道，该国“伊丽莎白女王”号航母战斗群预计在5月启程，夏末抵达东亚地区。英国国防参谋长卡特暗示，军舰很可能在南海开展“航行自由”活动。

Britain’s The Times also reported lately that the Royal Navy’s HMS Queen Elizabeth aircraft carrier strike group is scheduled to set sail in May and arrive in East Asia at the end of this summer, where it will most likely carry out “freedom of navigation” operations in the South China Sea, as Britain’s Chief of the Defence Staff, General Sir Nick Carter, hinted.

中国国际问题研究院欧洲所所长崔洪建3日在接受采访时表示，前几年欧洲国家也曾派军舰到南海地区活动，比如英国和法国。虽然这些国家也都打着所谓“航行自由”的旗号，但实际上，它们还是想与美国保持距离，这从其军舰选择的航行路线、时机以及官方表态中可以看出。

Cui Hongjian, director of the Department for European Studies of China Institute of International Studies, said in an interview on March 3 that European countries, such as the UK and France, assigned warships to the South China Sea a few years ago. Putting up the banner of “freedom of navigation” though, these countries still wanted to keep a distance from the US, which is shown in their choice of route, timing, and the official statements.

“现在的状况与前些年不太一样。”崔洪建分析说，欧洲国家的新动向有配合美国的一面，也有想要影响美国的一面。通过在南海活动，英、法、德一方面表明它们是“国际规则的维护者”，另一方面显示自己要参与大国博弈和竞争。欧洲国家这两年一直在讨论，到底是要沦为大国博弈的战场，还是成为博弈的一支力量。通过在南海活动，它们给出“要成为一支力量”的答案。

“The current situation is different from then,” said Cui, saying that European countries’ new movements are both cooperative and counterproductive for the US. By sending warships to the South China Sea, the UK, France, and Germany have posed themselves as the protectors of international rules on the one hand and demonstrated their intention to become participants of the major-country competition on the other. For the past two years, there have been ongoing discussions in Europe about whether the continent will become the battlefield of the major-country game or a force in it. Their operations in the South China Sea have just given an answer.

崔洪建表示，欧洲国家正朝“更现实主义的国际政治方向”转变，它们不仅想通过经济、外交等手段来施加对华影响力，还想借助一些“看得见的东西”，比如让中国认识到，“我们也能在你的周边发挥安全方面的影响力”。

According to Cui, European countries are shifting towards more realistic international politics. They want to impose clout on China not only through economic and diplomatic means but also with something “visible”, such as warships, to remind Beijing that “we are able to exert security influence around you”.

Editor's note: This article is originally published on huanqiu.com, and is translated from Chinese into English and edited by the China Military Online. The information, ideas or opinions appearing in this article do not necessarily reflect the views of eng.chinamil.com.cn.