美国海军作战部长理查德森上将称中国将在黄岩岛开工

South China Sea: Coming Chinese Land Reclamation at Scarborough Shoal?

The top U.S. naval officer has expressed concerns that China may be expanding its presence at Scarborough Shoal.

By Ankit Panda

March 18, 2016
     
http://thediplomat.com/2016/03/s ... -scarborough-shoal/

Back in 2012, Scarborough Shoal was at the center of a major stand-off between China and the Philippines that presaged the current period of instability in the South China Sea. Though Beijing’s assertiveness, as demonstrated through its artificial island-building and construction activities, is today largely focused primarily in the Spratly Islands, the 2012 stand-off presaged much of what was to come in the South China Sea. In 2016, Scarborough Shoal could soon to be returning to headlines.

Located in waters disputed between China, Taiwan, and the Philippines, west of the Philippines’ Luzon island, Scarborough Shoal is now being cited by U.S. government officials as a possible next site for increased Chinese activity in the South China Sea. Speaking to Reuters, Admiral John Richardson, the U.S. Navy’s chief of naval operations, noted that there is increased Chinese “surface ship activity” near Scarborough Shoal. He adds that there is additionally some “survey type of activity” in the area, noting that it was “an area of concern … a next possible area of reclamation.”

Richardson said he didn’t know if Chinese activity at the shoal had anything to do with the pending decision at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague in Philippines v. China, a case filed by Manila that has asked the international court to rule on China’s excessive maritime claims in the South China Sea. Most observers expect a ruling that will be almost entirely favorable to the Philippines’ position on the status of features currently occupied by China in the Spratlys. Expected in late-May or early-June 2016, the decision will be an important moment for China, which could find itself in contravention of an international court ruling given many of its activities in the South China Sea.

Scarborough Shoal itself is one of the features under consideration in the pending case at the Permanent Court of Arbitration. The Philippines argues that the feature falls within its 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone, as stipulated under the United Nations Convention on the Law of Sea, the primary international treaty on maritime law that both Beijing and Manila have signed and ratified. Beijing, meanwhile, has said it will ignore the court’s ruling in this case and broadly claims Scarborough Shoal within its ambiguous nine-dashed line claim in the South China Sea. The Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative at the Center for Strategic and International Studies has a good run-down of the various ways in which the court could rule on Scarborough and how they would affect legal outcomes.

China has controlled Scarborough Shoal since 2012, after a months-long stand-off with the Philippines. If Richardson’s fears prove true, Beijing would be significantly expanding its assertive behavior in the region. Though its Spratly artificial islands have caused controversy, the features it improved through dredging and expansion were previously occupied by China. Given Scarborough’s troubled history as a feature that was effectively won over from the Philippines just four years ago, any significant land reclamation work there would be considerably more worrisome for Manila and, certainly, for the United States.


南中国海：未来中国土地复垦在斯卡伯勒浅滩？

前美国海军官员已经表示担心，中国可能会扩大在斯卡伯勒浅滩的存在。

由Ankit熊猫

2016年3月18日

在2012回，斯卡伯勒浅滩是中心的一个主要的对峙，中国和菲律宾之间，预示着中国在南中国海的不稳定期。虽然北京的自信，如通过人工岛的建设活动，今天主要是集中在南沙群岛，2012的对峙预示什么是来在南中国海。2016、斯卡伯勒浅滩可能很快回到标题。
在有争议的海域之间的中国，台湾，和菲律宾，菲律宾的吕宋岛西部，斯卡伯勒浅滩正被美国政府官员作为一个可能的下一个站点增加中国在南海的活动。在路透社，海军上将理查德森，海军军事行动的美国海军的首席，注意有增加的中国“水面舰艇活动”在斯卡伯勒浅滩。他补充说，还有一些“调查类型的活动”在该地区，并指出，这是“一个值得关注的领域，一个未来可能的填海区。”
理查德森说，他不知道，如果中国的活动，在浅滩有什么做的悬而未决的决定，在海牙的常设法院在菲律宾，中国，一个案例提出了马尼拉，要求国际法院规则对中国的海上索赔在中国南海。多数观察家预计这一裁决将几乎完全有利于菲律宾的位置对其现状特点目前占据中国在南沙。预计在六月下旬或2016年初，该决定将是一个重要的时刻，中国，这可能会发现自己违反了国际法院的裁决，在南海的许多活动。
斯卡伯勒浅滩是在常设仲裁法院的一个特点，考虑本案。菲律宾认为，这一特点是在联合国海洋法公约规定的200海里专属经济区内，其主要国际条约是北京和马尼拉签署并批准的国际条约。北京，同时，已表示将忽略在这种情况下，法院的判决和广泛称斯卡伯勒浅滩在暧昧的九虚线声称在南中国海。亚洲海事透明度倡议在美国战略与国际问题研究中心具有良好的运行中，法院可以排除在斯卡伯勒的各种方法，它们将如何影响法律后果。
中国自2012控制斯卡伯勒浅滩，经过长达一个月的对峙与菲律宾。如果理查德森的担心被证明是正确的话，北京将大大扩展其在该地区的自信行为。虽然其南沙人工岛已经引起了争议，它的功能通过疏浚和扩展以前被中国占领。鉴于斯卡伯勒动乱的历史，作为一个功能，有效地赢得了从四年前的菲律宾，任何重大的土地复垦工作会有更大的担忧，马尼拉，当然，对于美国。

South China Sea: Coming Chinese Land Reclamation at Scarborough Shoal?

The top U.S. naval officer has expressed concerns that China may be expanding its presence at Scarborough Shoal.

By Ankit Panda

March 18, 2016
     
http://thediplomat.com/2016/03/s ... -scarborough-shoal/

Back in 2012, Scarborough Shoal was at the center of a major stand-off between China and the Philippines that presaged the current period of instability in the South China Sea. Though Beijing’s assertiveness, as demonstrated through its artificial island-building and construction activities, is today largely focused primarily in the Spratly Islands, the 2012 stand-off presaged much of what was to come in the South China Sea. In 2016, Scarborough Shoal could soon to be returning to headlines.

Located in waters disputed between China, Taiwan, and the Philippines, west of the Philippines’ Luzon island, Scarborough Shoal is now being cited by U.S. government officials as a possible next site for increased Chinese activity in the South China Sea. Speaking to Reuters, Admiral John Richardson, the U.S. Navy’s chief of naval operations, noted that there is increased Chinese “surface ship activity” near Scarborough Shoal. He adds that there is additionally some “survey type of activity” in the area, noting that it was “an area of concern … a next possible area of reclamation.”

Richardson said he didn’t know if Chinese activity at the shoal had anything to do with the pending decision at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague in Philippines v. China, a case filed by Manila that has asked the international court to rule on China’s excessive maritime claims in the South China Sea. Most observers expect a ruling that will be almost entirely favorable to the Philippines’ position on the status of features currently occupied by China in the Spratlys. Expected in late-May or early-June 2016, the decision will be an important moment for China, which could find itself in contravention of an international court ruling given many of its activities in the South China Sea.

Scarborough Shoal itself is one of the features under consideration in the pending case at the Permanent Court of Arbitration. The Philippines argues that the feature falls within its 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone, as stipulated under the United Nations Convention on the Law of Sea, the primary international treaty on maritime law that both Beijing and Manila have signed and ratified. Beijing, meanwhile, has said it will ignore the court’s ruling in this case and broadly claims Scarborough Shoal within its ambiguous nine-dashed line claim in the South China Sea. The Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative at the Center for Strategic and International Studies has a good run-down of the various ways in which the court could rule on Scarborough and how they would affect legal outcomes.

China has controlled Scarborough Shoal since 2012, after a months-long stand-off with the Philippines. If Richardson’s fears prove true, Beijing would be significantly expanding its assertive behavior in the region. Though its Spratly artificial islands have caused controversy, the features it improved through dredging and expansion were previously occupied by China. Given Scarborough’s troubled history as a feature that was effectively won over from the Philippines just four years ago, any significant land reclamation work there would be considerably more worrisome for Manila and, certainly, for the United States.


南中国海：未来中国土地复垦在斯卡伯勒浅滩？

前美国海军官员已经表示担心，中国可能会扩大在斯卡伯勒浅滩的存在。

由Ankit熊猫

2016年3月18日

在2012回，斯卡伯勒浅滩是中心的一个主要的对峙，中国和菲律宾之间，预示着中国在南中国海的不稳定期。虽然北京的自信，如通过人工岛的建设活动，今天主要是集中在南沙群岛，2012的对峙预示什么是来在南中国海。2016、斯卡伯勒浅滩可能很快回到标题。
在有争议的海域之间的中国，台湾，和菲律宾，菲律宾的吕宋岛西部，斯卡伯勒浅滩正被美国政府官员作为一个可能的下一个站点增加中国在南海的活动。在路透社，海军上将理查德森，海军军事行动的美国海军的首席，注意有增加的中国“水面舰艇活动”在斯卡伯勒浅滩。他补充说，还有一些“调查类型的活动”在该地区，并指出，这是“一个值得关注的领域，一个未来可能的填海区。”
理查德森说，他不知道，如果中国的活动，在浅滩有什么做的悬而未决的决定，在海牙的常设法院在菲律宾，中国，一个案例提出了马尼拉，要求国际法院规则对中国的海上索赔在中国南海。多数观察家预计这一裁决将几乎完全有利于菲律宾的位置对其现状特点目前占据中国在南沙。预计在六月下旬或2016年初，该决定将是一个重要的时刻，中国，这可能会发现自己违反了国际法院的裁决，在南海的许多活动。
斯卡伯勒浅滩是在常设仲裁法院的一个特点，考虑本案。菲律宾认为，这一特点是在联合国海洋法公约规定的200海里专属经济区内，其主要国际条约是北京和马尼拉签署并批准的国际条约。北京，同时，已表示将忽略在这种情况下，法院的判决和广泛称斯卡伯勒浅滩在暧昧的九虚线声称在南中国海。亚洲海事透明度倡议在美国战略与国际问题研究中心具有良好的运行中，法院可以排除在斯卡伯勒的各种方法，它们将如何影响法律后果。
中国自2012控制斯卡伯勒浅滩，经过长达一个月的对峙与菲律宾。如果理查德森的担心被证明是正确的话，北京将大大扩展其在该地区的自信行为。虽然其南沙人工岛已经引起了争议，它的功能通过疏浚和扩展以前被中国占领。鉴于斯卡伯勒动乱的历史，作为一个功能，有效地赢得了从四年前的菲律宾，任何重大的土地复垦工作会有更大的担忧，马尼拉，当然，对于美国。