<轉載自2016年7月21日 明報 社評>
「南海仲裁」裁決公布之後,情况顯得相對平靜,原本預期的緊張局面並未出現。這主要是中國和美國兩個主要玩家避免即時對峙,使得仲裁取得「勝利」的菲律賓與其他聲索國,以及跟隨起哄的日本,暫時顯得無處着力。不過,情勢只是外弛內張,因為裁決使南海爭議複雜化、惡化了事態,眼前的平靜或許只是各方都在盤整,背後合縱連橫,為日後的角力展開部署而已。台灣對於裁決,除了對實際控制的太平島被劃為「岩礁」表達不滿之外,就法理上「中華民國」也有份的南海主權的「歷史權利」被否定,卻未置一詞。綠營解讀裁決為強化了台灣與大陸的區隔,認為民進黨政府不應與大陸一同採取不承認的立場;此外,坊間透露總統蔡英文和民進黨當局對太平島未來定位的一些信息,如果屬實,會否使中國大陸、台灣與美國為了爭奪太平島而攤牌,值得密切關注。
中國藉南海仲裁 解放軍常態巡航
裁決公布之前,美國在南海擺了兩個航空母艦戰鬥群,因而有猜測在裁決公布後,美國艦隊將進入爭議水域,執行裁決。大陸則在南海舉行軍事演習,出動大規模艦艇戰機,央視還播出轟炸機發射反艦導彈的畫面,展示大陸不惜硬撼的意志。裁決公布之後,未見美軍與解放軍即時對峙,美航母戰鬥群動向未知,反而是美國海軍作戰部長理查森「緊急」訪問北京,中國海軍司令吳勝利向他表述了中國捍衛主權和海洋權益的決心。這次會晤有什麼結果,暫時不知道,而在理查森訪問期間,中國軍方宣布將有包括轟六K在內的戰機在南海執行常態戰略巡航。顯然的,各方就南海爭議的互動和角力尚待觀察,但是中國藉裁決強化在南海的軍事存在,已經是事實。
菲律賓贏得一紙裁決,肯定不會輕易言棄;對於越南、印尼等其他聲索國,裁決把中國踢出南海,當然會好好利用。不過,在中國對裁決採取不參與、不承認、不接受的前提下,菲律賓等當事國若要尋求解決,就不能繞過與中國直接雙邊談判。中國政府在裁決公布後,已經釋出「願同直接當事國盡一切努力作出實際性的臨時安排,包括在相關海域進行共同開發,實現互利共贏,共同維護南海和平穩定」的信息;設若獲得當事國積極回應,則各方在南海有機會創造多贏,不會出現域外勢力想看到的南海成為火海的局面。不過,裁決有利於美國對中國的戰略擠壓,美國肯定會充分利用,因此南海爭議是和是戰,除了中國取態,主要視乎美國怎樣利用局面去達至其戰略利益。預期未來幾年,南海仍然會是區域和全球熱點。
太平島若成棋子 將攪起滔天巨浪
對於中國而言,南海爭議另一個不確定因素是台灣。台灣在南海實際控制的太平島,是南沙諸島之中面積最大,也是唯一有淡水的島嶼。不過,裁決仍然以「不能維持人類居住與自身經濟生活」,將之劃為岩礁;若落實裁決,太平島將失去200海里專屬經濟區的權利。台灣島內聞判群情洶湧,蔡英文提前派軍艦前赴宣示主權,可是除此之外,民進黨政府並沒有積極作為,昨日有多名藍綠立委和漁民自發組織到太平島宣示主權,當局都低調對應。近日,一陣輿情飈過之後,綠營學者宣揚一個觀點,認為民進黨當局不應跟隨大陸,應該有選擇地接受裁決;他們認為大陸主張的九段線範圍,包括台灣等島嶼,若裁決九段線成立,台灣恐被國際歸屬為中國的一部分,現在的裁決對台灣有利,云云。這個說法有過度演繹裁決之嫌,這是綠營人士斷章取義的慣技,意義不大,但是這種心態,反映綠營有利用裁決操作台獨的傾向。
裁決公布前,民進黨政府急急撤回用以護漁的兩艘100噸級巡防艇;在當時的情况,這個舉措不合邏輯,當局答覆查問時含糊以對。另外,台灣坊間早有傳聞,蔡英文利用太平島交換美國和日本對她的支持,還會出租太平島給美國使用,云云。昨日,曾經是立法委員、現在活躍於媒體論政的邱毅爆料,指「蔡英文昨天主持國安會議,決定將太平島發展成物資運補基地,開放給各國使用」。諸如此類傳聞,民進黨當局雖然否認,但是傳聞從未止息,只能姑妄聽之。若如裁決所指太平島缺乏物資,所謂「物資運補基地」從何說起?不過,空穴來風,未必無因,放在美國的南海戰略考量,也不能排除意圖利用太平島的可能。
太平島現在由台灣控制,北京將之與台灣視為中國的一部分,若美國以任何方式涉足太平島,都是踰越了北京的底線,必然遭到強烈反對。設若出現中國大陸、台灣與美國就太平島而對峙角力,屆時攪動的不僅是南海掀巨浪,台海情勢也會洶湧。當南海、台海驟起戰雲,這個世界將發生什麼事,難以想像!因此,美國會否利用太平島這張牌,蔡英文和民進黨當局對太平島有些什麼盤算,事關重大,值得密切關注。
Taiping
Island situation calls for attention
SINCE
the South China Sea (SCS) arbitration ruling came out, things have remained
calm and, contrary to expectations, tension has not appeared there. This is the
case because China and the US, the two principal players, have tried not to
confront each other immediately. Therefore, for the time being, the Philippines
(which has won the arbitration case), other claimants and Japan (which has booted
and hooted, following others) cannot see where to direct their efforts.
However, the situation is actually tense though it does not seem so, for the
ruling has complicated SCS disputes and worsened it. It seems calm perhaps only
because the players are taking stock of their circumstances and involving
themselves in strategic manoeuvrings of all kinds - making preparations for
upcoming wrestling games.
Having
won the award, the Philippines would by no means give up easily. The ruling
kicking China out of the SCS, other claimants like Vietnam and Indonesia of
course want to make good use of it. However, since Beijing's position is that
China will play no part in any arbitration and will neither recognise nor
accept any arbitration ruling, the Philippines and any other country concerned
cannot avoid having direct, bilateral negotiations with it. No sooner had the
ruling come out than the Chinese government declared it was prepared to make
every effort to work with the countries directly concerned to make provisional
arrangements of a practical nature, including those for working together to
develop the waters in question and maintain peace and stability there with a
view to furthering mutual benefits and bringing about win-win situations. If
many of the countries concerned positively respond to that declaration, it will
be possible to create multi-win there and the SCS will not become a sea of
flames (which some extra-regional powers want to see). Nevertheless, the US
will certainly make full use of the ruling, which makes it easier for
Washington strategically to squeeze Beijing. Whether hostilities will break out
over the SCS depends not only on China's attitude. That depends mainly on how
the US will use the situation to further its strategic interests. The SCS is
expected to remain a regional and global hotspot in the next few years.
Another
uncertainty in connection with SCS disputes is Taiwan, which actually controls
Taiping Island, the largest island in the SCS and the only one there boasting
fresh water. The arbitral tribunal has decided it to be a rock on the grounds
that it does not sustain human habitation or its own economic life. The
decision has raised an outcry in Taiwan. Recently, the public-opinion upsurge
has subsided, and some green-camp academics have put out the idea that the
Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration should selectively accept the
ruling instead of following the mainland. They say the ruling is favourable to
Taiwan because, the "nine-dash line" enclosing it, the world might
attribute it to China if the arbitral tribunal had upheld the validity of the
"nine-dash line". That smells of excessive interpretation of the
ruling and is of little significance because those in the green-camp habitually
quote things out of context. However, this mentality evidences the green camp's
tendency to use the ruling to further taidu (the independence of Taiwan).
As
Taipei controls it, Beijing regards Taiping Island as part of China together
with Taiwan. If the US sets foot there in any manner, it will go beyond what
Beijing can accept and certainly meet with objections. Should confrontation
arise between the mainland on one side and Taiwan and the US on the other over
the SCS, billows dashing to the skies will be seen not only in the SCS but also
in the Taiwan Strait. Should war clouds suddenly loom the SCS and the Taiwan
Strait, it will be ghastly to contemplate what may happen in this world!
Therefore, the questions whether the US will use the Taiping Island card and
what plans Tsai Ing-wen and the DPP administration have in relation to Taiping
Island matter much and are worth close attention.
南海情勢外弛內張 須關注太平島動向
「南海仲裁」裁決公布之後,情况顯得相對平靜,原本預期的緊張局面並未出現。這主要是中國和美國兩個主要玩家避免即時對峙,使得仲裁取得「勝利」的菲律賓與其他聲索國,以及跟隨起哄的日本,暫時顯得無處着力。不過,情勢只是外弛內張,因為裁決使南海爭議複雜化、惡化了事態,眼前的平靜或許只是各方都在盤整,背後合縱連橫,為日後的角力展開部署而已。
菲律賓贏得一紙裁決,肯定不會輕易言棄;對於越南、印尼等其他聲索國,裁決把中國踢出南海,當然會好好利用。不過,在中國對裁決採取不參與、不承認、不接受的前提下,菲律賓等當事國若要尋求解決,就不能繞過與中國直接雙邊談判。中國政府在裁決公布後,已經釋出「願同直接當事國盡一切努力作出實際性的臨時安排,包括在相關海域進行共同開發,實現互利共贏,共同維護南海和平穩定」的信息;設若獲得當事國積極回應,則各方在南海有機會創造多贏,不會出現域外勢力想看到的南海成為火海的局面。不過,裁決有利於美國對中國的戰略擠壓,美國肯定會充分利用,因此南海爭議是和是戰,除了中國取態,主要視乎美國怎樣利用局面去達至其戰略利益。預期未來幾年,南海仍然會是區域和全球熱點。
南海爭議另一個不確定因素是台灣。台灣在南海實際控制的太平島,是南沙諸島之中面積最大,也是唯一有淡水的島嶼。不過,裁決仍然以「不能維持人類居住與自身經濟生活」將之劃為岩礁。台灣島內聞判群情洶湧。近日,一陣輿情飈過之後,綠營學者宣揚一個觀點,認為民進黨當局不應跟隨大陸,應該有選擇地接受裁決;他們認為大陸主張的九段線範圍,包括台灣等島嶼,若裁決九段線成立,台灣恐被國際歸屬為中國的一部分,現在的裁決對台灣有利,云云。這個說法有過度演繹裁決之嫌,這是綠營人士斷章取義的慣技,意義不大,但是這種心態,反映綠營有利用裁決操作台獨的傾向。
太平島現在由台灣控制,北京將之與台灣視為中國的一部分,若美國以任何方式涉足太平島,都是踰越了北京的底線,必然遭到強烈反對。設若出現中國大陸、台灣與美國就太平島而對峙角力,屆時攪動的不僅是南海掀巨浪,台海情勢也會洶湧。當南海、台海驟起戰雲,這個世界將發生什麼事,難以想像!因此,美國會否利用太平島這張牌,蔡英文和民進黨當局對太平島有些什麼盤算,事關重大,值得密切關注。