中國可能會劃設南海防空識別區

China has mooted the possibility of controlling the airspace over the disputed South China Sea, as it ratchets up rhetoric in response to a US overflight of an island claimed by China earlier this month.

中國提出了在有爭議的南中國海控制空域的可能性。針對本月早些時候美國偵察機飛越中國宣稱擁有主權的一個島嶼，中國正提高聲調。

A senior foreign ministry official spoke on Wednesday about the possibility of implementing an Air Defence Identification Zone over the sea, a move that would be widely regarded as an effort to stamp its sovereignty over a series of islands it claims. An ADIZ requires all aircraft flying through it to identify themselves to the controlling government.

中國外交部一名高級官員週三發表講話，談到劃設南海防空識別區的可能性，此舉將被廣泛視爲中國對其宣稱屬於本國的一連串島嶼主張主權的努力。防空識別區將要求所有飛越的飛機向實施控制的政府報告自己的身份。

“China has the right to establish ADIZs,” said Ouyang Yujing, director of boundaries and oceanic affairs for the foreign ministry, in an interview published in a Chinese newspaper.

“中國擁有劃設防空識別區的權利，”外交部邊界與海洋事務司司長歐陽玉靖在中國報紙刊登的採訪中表示。

“Whether or not China will establish a South China Sea ADIZ will depend on factors such as whether China’s air safety is under threat, and the seriousness of the threat,” he said. However, he added, the area remained stable for the time being.

“中方將來是否劃設‘南海防空識別區’取決於空中安全是否受到威脅和威脅程度及其他各方面因素，”他說。不過他補充說，當前南海局勢總體穩定。

While not the first time a Chinese official had broached the topic of an ADIZ, experts say it was significant that it has come at a time of heightened tensions this month following an overflight of China-claimed islands by a US P-8 spy plane carrying a camera crew from CNN.

儘管這不是中國官員首次討論防空識別區話題，但專家們表示，此次講話意義重大，因爲它發生在本月美國一架搭載CNN攝製組的P-8偵察機飛越中國宣稱擁有主權的島嶼之後、緊張局勢加劇之際。

The US is also considering flying surveillance missions even closer to the islands, as well as sailing warships within a few miles of them, as part of a new, more robust US military posture in the area.

美國還考慮展開更接近這些島嶼的空中偵察，以及讓軍艦航行至距離島嶼僅幾英里的地方，作爲美軍在南海更強悍的新姿態的一部分。

Rory Medcalf, head of the National Security College at the Australian National University, said the re-emergence of the prospect of a new ADIZ was a calculated signal from Beijing.

澳大利亞國立大學(Australian National University)國家安全學院(National Security College)院長羅裏•梅德卡夫(Rory Medcalf)表示，重提劃設南海防空識別區，是北京方面有心發出的一個信號。

“It is significant for a senior Chinese official to not categorically deny that the ADIZ is an option [for the South China Sea],” he said, “and it’s significant for a Chinese official to link this to the actions of other states. In effect they are laying the diplomatic groundwork for such a move if China is not happy with the way the tensions play out.”

“一箇中國高級官員沒有明確否認防空識別區是（中國在南中國海問題上的）一個選項，此舉意義重大，”他表示，“而一名中國官員把這件事與其它國家的行動聯繫起來，也相當重大。他們實際上在爲這樣的舉措——如果中國對緊張局勢演變的方向感到不快的話——進行外交鋪墊。”

A South China Sea ADIZ would be its second over a disputed maritime area. In November 2013, China stunned its neighbours when it announced an ADIZ over the East China Sea covering islands that are also claimed by Japan.

南海防空識別區將是中國第二次在有爭議的海域劃設防空識別區。2013年11月，中國宣佈在東中國海劃設防空識別區，覆蓋日本宣稱擁有主權的島嶼，此舉令鄰國震驚。

Dozens of islands — most no more than remote coral atolls — dot the South China Sea and are claimed by China, Vietnam, the Philippines and other neighbouring states. China has brought in advanced dredging equipment to reclaim land and has nearly built an airstrip on one island known internationally as Fiery Cross Reef.

南中國海散佈着數十個島嶼——多數只不過是偏僻的珊瑚環礁——中國、越南、菲律賓和其它周邊國家都宣稱擁有這些島嶼。中國已出動先進的疏浚設備進行填海造島，還在永暑礁(Fiery Cross Reef)差不多建造了一個簡易機場。

Gary Li, an independent expert on international security matters in Beijing, said the announcement of a possible ADIZ appeared to be a “tit for tat” in response to the US overflight this month.

駐北京的國際安全事務獨立專家Gary Li表示，宣佈可能劃設防空識別區，似乎是對本月美國飛機飛越的“針鋒相對”的迴應。

“This is probably them saying ‘if you’re going to carry on doing that, then we’re going to push forward this plan — now we might actually do it’,” he said.

“他們彷彿在說：‘如果你們打算繼續這樣做的話，我們將推進這個計劃——這次我們可能真的這麼做，”他表示。

Experts link the airstrip on Fiery Cross to eventual ambitions to set up an ADIZ. “I don’t see them going ahead with this until they can enforce it, and the only way they could enforce it is with this runway,” said Mr Li, although he said basing interceptors would be an “extremely provocative step”.

專家們早已將永暑礁上的簡易機場與劃設防空識別區的最終目標聯繫起來。“我不認爲他們會在有能力維護防空識別區之前推進這個計劃，而他們唯一能夠維護防空識別區的方式是藉助這個簡易機場，”Gary Li表示，儘管他表示，在永暑礁部署截擊機將是“非常挑釁的一步”。

When it announced the East China Sea ADIZ, China was unable to enforce it days later when the US flew two B-52 bombers through the zone.

中國宣佈劃設東海防空識別區的幾天後，美國在不打招呼的情況下出動兩架B-52轟炸機飛越，而中國無法維護該防空識別區。

On Tuesday the Chinese People’s Liberation Army unveiled a muscular new strategic doctrine that envisaged increasingly far-flung military operations, including “open-seas defence”.

週二，中國的解放軍公佈了一套強硬的新版戰略，展望越來越遙遠的軍事行動，包括“遠海護衛”。