大批中國船隻進入釣魚島附近海域
China has deployed additional coast guard patrols to a disputed region of the East China Sea in the face of Japanese complaints over a record number of vessels already there, threatening a further escalation in tensions between the two nations.
儘管日本抱怨中國向東中國海爭議海域派遣了數量空前的船隻，中方還是在該海域部署了更多的海警船展開巡邏，中日兩國間的緊張局勢有進一步升級之勢。
Tokyo has complained repeatedly to Beijing in the past few days over a “flotilla” of fishing vessels accompanied by Chinese coast guard ships in the waters near the disputed Senkaku Islands, known as the Daioyu Islands in China. The arrival of the estimated 230 vessels follows the opening of the fishing season in eastern China on August 1.
過去幾天，日本政府多次就一“羣”漁船在中國海警船伴隨下駛入有爭議的尖閣諸島（Senkaku Islands，中國稱釣魚島及其附屬島嶼）附近海域向中方表示不滿。8月1日中國東部捕魚季開始後，估計有230艘船隻進入該海域。
The stand-off in the East China Sea heightens tensions at a time when international attention is focused further south, on China’s territorial claims and construction of artificial islands in the South China Sea. An international arbitration court ruled against most of China’s claims in the South China Sea last month. Over the weekend, China’s air force conducted flight patrols over the islets in what it says will become “regular practice” to defend its claims.
在國際社會的注意力投向更南方、聚焦於中國在南中國海的領土主張及人工島建設活動之際，東中國海上的對峙令局勢變得更爲緊張。上月，一個國際仲裁庭否定了中國在南中國海的大多數主張。上週末，中國空軍對南中國海島礁展開巡航，並表示這樣的巡航將“常態化”，以捍衛中方的主張。
“We will continue to strongly urge China not to escalate the situation,” Yoshihide Suga, Japan’s chief cabinet secretary, said at a news conference on Monday. He added that his government would respond “firmly and calmly”.
日本內閣官房長官菅義偉(Yoshihide Suga)週一在新聞發佈會上表示：“我們將繼續強烈敦促中方不要讓局勢升級。”他還表示，日本政府將作出“堅定而冷靜”的應對。
China’s State Oceanic Administration said late on Sunday that it would add two more coast guard vessels to the seven already in the region. The Japanese side said 14 had entered the region over the weekend, with Mr Suga saying 12 remained.
中國國家海洋局上週日晚表示，將向該海域再部署2艘海警船，而當時該海域已有7艘中國海警船。日本方面表示，上週末有14艘中國海警船進入該海域，菅義偉稱有12艘留在了該海域內。
Tokyo also objects to a radar installation on a Chinese offshore gas platform which the Chinese side has said is to be used for ship detection. Japan’s defence ministry said it spotted the radar on one of 16 gas drilling platforms on the Chinese side of the area’s main natural gasfield. The two countries agreed to jointly develop the gasfield in 2008 but have not actually done so.
日本政府還對中國在一海上天然氣平臺上安裝雷達提出抗議。中方表示，該雷達裝置用於船舶探測。日本防衛省表示，它在那片海域主要天然氣田中方一側的一個天然氣鑽井平臺上發現了雷達裝置。中國在那片海域有16個天然氣鑽井平臺。中日兩國曾於2008年商定共同開發那塊天然氣田，但尚未落實到行動上。
