潛航器風波打破中美海軍關係改善勢頭
China’s seizure of a US navy submarine drone signals its willingness to push back harder against American surveillance in the South China Sea,
中國扣押美國海軍無人潛航器這件事表明，北京方面有意以更強硬的方式回擊美國在南中國海的監測活動。
as tensions mount between the two nations ahead of the presidential inauguration of Donald Trump.
在唐納德.特朗普(Donald Trump)即將迎來總統就職典禮之際，中美兩國間的緊張氣氛正在升溫。
The Pentagon said China had agreed to return the surveillance device, which was seized in international waters on Thursday.
五角大樓(Pentagon)表示，中國已同意歸還上週四其在國際水域捕獲的監測設備。
But the incident highlights concern about the direction of US-China ties amid uncertainty about the stance Mr Trump will adopt.
但這起事件凸顯了，在不確定特朗普將採取何種立場的氛圍中，美中關係發展方向令人擔憂。
Mr Trump has been critical about China since launching his campaign, on everything from trade policy to its assertive moves in the South China Sea.
自參加大選以來，特朗普一直對中國批評有加——從貿易政策到中國在南中國海的強硬行動。
After his victory, however, he sparked alarm in Beijing and among many experts in Washington by speaking to the Taiwanese president and hinting that he might abandon the One China policy that has guided US policy on China and Taiwan for four decades.
而勝選後，他與臺灣總統通電話並暗示可能放棄40年來一直指引美國臺海政策的一箇中國政策，這引發了北京方面以及華盛頓許多專家的警惕。
The president-elect cricised China over the drone incident, which he said was unprecedented" before saying that the US should allow China to keep the device.
這位美國當選總統就此次無人潛航器被扣事件批評中國稱，該事件史無前例，隨後又表示，美國應讓中國留着這個設備。
We should tell China that we don’t want the drone they stole back —
他在Twitter上寫道：我們應該告訴中國，我們不想要回他們偷走的無人潛航器。
let them keep it! he tweeted.
讓他們留着吧！
While US-Sino relations usually enter a period of uncertainly at a time of administration change in Washington, analysts said that the apprehension surrounding the drone in disputed waters bucks the recent trend of improving ties between the US and Chinese navies.
雖然美中關係在美國政府換屆之際通常都會進入一段不確定期，但分析人士表示，此次爭議水域潛航器事件引發的擔憂，與近年來兩國海軍關係不斷改善的勢頭背道而馳。
This goes against the grain of the professionalisation of [China’s] People’s Liberation Army Navy over the past few years, as it seemed to be embracing confidence-building measures with the US, said Euan Graham, a security analyst at the Lowy Institute, a think-tank in Sydney.
這與（中國）人民解放軍海軍近些年的專業化相悖，因爲中國海軍似乎正在接受與美國建立信任的措施，悉尼智庫洛伊研究所(Lowy Institute)安全問題分析家尤安.格雷厄姆(Euan Graham)表示，
This is a significant escalation with a navy ship interfering with another navy ship at close quarters.
一艘海軍艦艇近距離干擾另一艘海軍艦艇作業，這是嚴重升級了。
Ni Lexiong, a naval expert at the East China University, said the seizure was a reminder to surrounding countries in the South China Sea area, as well as the US and Japan, to reconsider China’s stance on defending its territory.
上海政法學院海軍專家倪樂雄表示，此次扣押是提醒南中國海周邊國家以及美國和日本，他們需要重新認識中國捍衛本國領土的立場。
The Pentagon said the drone, which was being operated by the USNS Bowditch, a civilian-operated navy survey vessel, was taken unlawfully by a Chinese naval ship on Thursday, 50 nautical miles from Subic Bay in the Philippines.
五角大樓表示，這具由美國鮑迪奇號(Bowditch)海軍測量船操控的無人潛航器，上週四在距離菲律賓蘇比克灣(Subic Bay) 50海里的水域被一艘中國海軍艦隻非法撈起。
Such drones are typically used to collect oceanographic data such as water depth and salinity.
鮑迪奇號由非軍事人員操縱，而此類無人潛航器通常用於收集水深、鹽度等海洋數據。
China’s defence ministry said that it had seized the drone to prevent it endangering the navigation and crew of the Chinese ship.
中國國防部表示，捕獲該無人潛航器是爲了防止該裝置對過往船舶的航行安全和人員安全產生危害。
But it also reiterated its opposition to US military reconnaissance operations in the waters around China.
中國國防部還重申，反對美國在中國周邊海域進行軍事偵察活動。
Analysts said that while the information gleaned from underwater drones was not classified, it was vital to the operation of the submarines that both sides operate in the South China Sea.
分析人士表示無人潛航器收集的信息雖然並非機密資料，但對雙方潛艇在南中國海的作業卻至關重要。
Li Mingjiang, a China expert at the S.
新加坡拉惹勒南國際研究院(S.
Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, said Beijing was willing to risk an escalation with Washington over the latest incident because it was worried about US plans to expand the use of naval drones in the South China Sea.
Rajaratnam School of International Studies)中國問題專家李明江表示，北京之所以願與華盛頓在這起最新事件中冒險升級態勢，是因爲它擔心美國計劃在南中國海增加部署海軍潛航器。
PLA leaders have good reason to worry about this emerging US naval strategy against China in East Asia, he said.
他說：解放軍高層有充分理由擔心美國海軍正在構建的在東亞與中國對抗的新戰略。
If this strategy becomes reality, it could be quite detrimental to China’s national security.
如果該戰略成爲現實，對中國的國家安全可能相當不利。
Yue Gang, a retired PLA colonel, said that while the Bowditch might have been in international waters, it was almost certain that the drone was conducting espionage activities within the nine-dashed line,
解放軍退役上校嶽剛表示，雖然鮑迪奇號或許是在國際水域航行，但幾乎可以肯定該潛航器在九段線內進行間諜活動。
Beijing’s contested claim to much of the South China Sea.
北京方面依據九段線主張擁有南中國海大部分海域，這一主張引起了爭議。
He said that Beijing’s response was a significant signal of its displeasure with US policy, while also giving the navy time to analyse the drone to obtain evidence of the espionage activities.
嶽剛表示北京的反應是對美國政策不滿的一個重要信號，同時也讓海軍有時間分析這架潛航器，以獲得間諜活動的證據。
Western analysts said that such a brazen act would undermine other nations’ confidence in China’s commitment to global norms.
西方分析人士表示，這種肆無忌憚的行爲會破壞其他國家對中國遵守全球規範承諾的信心。
It’s illegal and it fuels concerns about whether China is really willing to abide by the international right of freedom of navigation, said Ian Storey, a senior fellow at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore.
新加坡東南亞研究所(ISEAS)高級研究員伊恩.斯托裏(Ian Storey)表示：這是個非法舉動，它引起了人們的擔憂，中國是否真的願意遵守國際上的航行自由權？
Security analysts also said that the seizure would prompt the US and others to rethink how they deploy civilian survey vessels and underwater drones.
安全分析師還表示，扣留潛航器事件將促使美國和其他國家重新思考如何部署民用勘探船和水下潛航器。
There will have to be a reappraisal of how unarmed US vessels do business in the South China Sea, said Mr Graham of the Lowy Institute.
洛伊研究所的格雷厄姆表示：必須對美國非武裝船隻在南中國海的作業方式進行重新評估。
They’re going to require an escort or armed personnel on board.
它們將需要護衛艦，或在船上配備武裝人員。
Heiko Borchert, a security consultant, said that China’s actions highlight the risks of deploying drones in a non-benign naval environment.
安全顧問海科.博徹特(Heiko Borchert)表示，中方此舉突顯出了在非良性海軍環境部署潛航器的風險。
The incident shows that the tactical and strategic benefits of unmanned underwater vehicles can quickly turn into a strategic liability if other actors are not willing to back down on their own policy line, he wrote on the website of the Center for International Maritime Security, a US think-tank.
博徹特在美國智庫國際海事安全中心(Center for International Maritime Security)的網站上寫道：這一事件表明，如果其他行事方不願意在自己的政策路線上讓步，水下無人裝置的戰術和戰略利益可能很快就會變成戰略負擔。
