美防長指責中國在南海炫耀軍力

SingAPORE — Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis harshly criticized the Chinese government on Saturday for its continuing militarization of a string of islands in the South China Sea, calling the new presence of advanced military equipment and missiles there a flagrant show of military power.

新加坡——週六，美國國防部長吉姆·馬蒂斯(Jim Mattis)嚴厲指責中國政府繼續在南海的多座島嶼搞軍事化，稱那裏新出現的先進軍事裝備和導彈是明目張膽地炫耀軍事實力。

“Despite China’s claims to the contrary, the placement of these weapons systems is tied directly to military use for the purposes of intimidation and coercion,” Mr. Mattis said during a speech on Saturday at the annual Shangri-La Dialogue, a regional security conference.

“儘管中國的說法相反，但這些武器系統的部署與出於軍事目的的恐嚇和脅迫直接相關，”馬蒂斯週六在一年一度的地區安全會議香格里拉對話(Shangri-La Dialogue)上發表講話時說。

Mr. Mattis recently disinvited the Chinese military from a large, multinational naval exercise this summer due in part to China’s positioning of those weapons, including antiship and surface-to-air missiles, on the Spratly Islands.

馬蒂斯最近取消了邀請中國參加今夏一場多國大型海軍演習，部分就是因爲中國在斯普拉特利羣島（Spratly Islands，中國稱南沙羣島——譯註）部署包括反艦和地對空導彈在內的武器。

China’s activities, Mr. Mattis said, are “in stark contrast to the openness our strategy promotes,” calling into question “China’s broader goals.”

馬蒂斯稱中國的行爲“與我們的戰略所倡導的開放形成了鮮明的對比”，並對“中國更廣泛的目的”提出了質疑。

Mr. Mattis’s remarks come as the United States tries to navigate increased tensions with Beijing, even as the Trump administration seeks Chinese help in curbing North Korea’s nuclear ambitions.

馬蒂斯發表此番言論之際，美國正試圖解決與北京日漸加劇的緊張關係。同時，特朗普政府正尋求中國協助遏制朝鮮的核野心。

The Chinese military participated in the multinational exercise, called the Rim of the Pacific, in 2014 and 2016. Mr. Mattis called the move to withdraw their invitation an “initial response,” without specifying what additional moves the United States might be considering. He added that he was open to cooperation with China “wherever possible.”

中國軍隊分別在2014和2016年參加過名爲環太平洋(Rim of the Pacific)的多國演習。馬蒂斯稱取消邀請是“初步迴應”，但沒有說明美國可能正在考慮哪些額外舉措。他補充說，“只要有可能”他願意同中國合作。

“The U.S. will continue to pursue a constructive, results-oriented relationship with China,” Mr. Mattis said, “competing vigorously where we must.”

“美國將繼續爭取同中國建立有建設性的、注重結果的關係，”馬蒂斯說，“在必須競爭的地方積極競爭。”

On Sunday, two American warships sailed within 12 miles of islands in the South China Sea, in an attempt to assert the United States’ stance on freedom of navigation in international waters. China has laid claim to most of the South China Sea, in defiance of international norms.

週日，兩艘美國軍艦駛入南海島嶼的12英里（約合19公里）範圍內，試圖表明美國對國際水域航行自由的立場。中國無視國際規範，宣稱擁有南海大部分地區的主權。

Mr. Mattis tried to reassure allies in the region that the United States was committed to handling both China’s rapid expansion and the threat from North Korea.

馬蒂斯試圖向該地區的盟友保證，美國致力於應對中國的快速擴張和朝鮮的威脅。

“We are focused on modernizing our alliance with both the Republic of Korea and Japan, transforming these critical alliances to meet the challenges of the 21st century,” Mr. Mattis said, using South Korea’s formal name.

“我們的重點是讓我們與大韓民國和日本的盟友關係現代化，變革這兩個關鍵的聯盟，迎接21世紀的挑戰，”馬提斯說。他使用了韓國的正式名稱。

He also said the United States would continue to support Taiwan, the self-governing island that China claims as its territory, with military and other assistance.

他還說，美國會繼續向臺灣提供軍事和其他援助。臺灣是一個實行自治的島嶼，中國聲稱臺灣是其領土。

Aaron L. Friedberg, a professor of politics and international affairs at Princeton University and a former deputy assistant for national security affairs, said that Mr. Mattis’s speech was probably meant to ease American allies’ concerns not just about regional threats, but about President Trump’s oft-changing foreign policy.

普林斯頓大學(Princeton University)研究政治和國際事務的教授、曾擔任國家安全事務常務副助理的艾倫·L·弗裏德伯格(Aaron L. Friedberg)說，馬蒂斯的講話可能是爲了緩解美國盟友的擔心。它們的擔心不僅和地區威脅有關，還和特朗普總統變化不定的外交政策有關。

“They don’t know what’s coming next,” Mr. Friedberg said. “There’s not much people even at Mattis’s levels can do about it.”

“它們不知道接下來會發生什麼事情，”弗裏德伯格說。“對此，即便是馬蒂斯這種級別的人也無能爲力。”

Mr. Mattis said little about North Korea in his speech, which came just hours after Mr. Trump said that the June 12 talks in Singapore with the North’s leader, Kim Jong-un, were back on. He said the American goal remained the “irreversible denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.” In response to a question, he added that American troop levels in South Korea would not be on the agenda for the summit talks.

馬蒂斯在講話中沒怎麼談到朝鮮。就在他發表講話的幾小時前，特朗普稱恢復6月12日與朝鮮領導人金正恩(Kim Jong-un)在新加坡的會晤。他說，美國的目標依然是“朝鮮半島不可逆轉的無核化”。在回答一個提問時，他補充說美國在韓國的駐軍規模不會出現在會談的議程上。