2016年6月14日，驻新西兰大使王鲁彤在新最大的主流媒体《新西兰先驱报》发表署名文章《看待南海问题需要历史视角》。全文如下：

 

On June 14, 2016, The New Zealand Herald published a signed article titled ‘China is aiming to keep peace’ by Chinese Ambassador to New Zealand Wang Lutong. The full text is as follows:

 

看待南海问题需要历史视角

China Is Aiming to Keep Peace

 

中国驻新西兰大使  王鲁彤

Wang Lutong, Chinese Ambassador to New Zealand

 

“南海诸岛自古以来就是中国领土，中国最早发现了南海诸岛并最早命名，最早实施行政管辖，最早进行开发利用。南海争端产生40多年来一直是局部、可控的。只是从2009年、特别是2012年后南海形势加剧紧张，菲律宾提起的南海仲裁案是极端个案。将南海问题置于东南亚发展的历史背景中分析，有助于看清南海争端产生的深层原因。

 

The South China Sea islands and reefs have been Chinese territory since ancient times. China was the first country to discover and name the islands in the South China Sea, and also was the first to exercise administrative jurisdiction and develop those islands.

 

Over the last forty years, disputes over the South China Sea have been localized and controlled. Tensions in this region have only been aggravated since 2009, and particularly post 2012.

 

The arbitration case initiated by the Philippines is an extreme isolated case. Analysing the South China Sea issue in the context of Southeast Asia’s development serves a clear picture of the underlying catalyst for this dispute.   

 

从地理大发现到殖民主义时期，从二战再到冷战，东南亚国家从未享受过真正意义上的和平。二战前，几乎整个东南亚都被西方殖民主义者殖民化，二战时又被日本侵占。直到二战结束，东南亚国家才获得普遍独立。然而此后20多年，又饱受冷战影响。

 

From the Age of Discovery to the colonial period, and from World War II to the end of the Cold War, Southeast Asian countries have never experienced real peace. Before World War II, virtually the entire Southeast Asia region was colonised by Western powers. During World War II, the region was occupied by the Japanese.

 

Most Southeast Asia countries did not gain independence until the end of World War II. In the twenty years following independence, however, those countries were heavily affected by the Cold War.

 

随着冷战结束，东南亚迎来难得的稳定和繁荣。中国与东南亚国家、东盟关系从此进入“黄金二十年”。中国已成为东盟和大多数东盟国家第一大贸易伙伴。东盟成为中国第三大贸易伙伴，仅次于欧盟和美国，双边贸易额达4000多亿美元。任何理性、有正常思维的人都可以由此得出结论，中国不可能主动去打破这样的良好局面。

 

With the end of the Cold War, Southeast Asia ushered in a valuable period of stability and prosperity. The relationship between China and Southeast Asia and ASEAN then entered a ‘Golden Twenty Year Period’. China has become the largest trading partner of ASEAN and most of its nations. ASEAN is China’s third largest trading partner after the European Union and the United States, with bilateral trade worth up to US$400 billion.

 

Anyone with a right and rational mind could draw the conclusion that China has no single reason to damage this relationship.

 

也许这些发展成就引起某些人的嫉妒。美国于2010年开始实行“亚太再平衡”战略，深刻影响东南亚局势，助长了部分国家在南海问题上的冲动。菲律宾于2012年挑起黄岩岛事件、2013年单方面提起南海仲裁案。菲律宾南海仲裁案是一出披着法律外衣的政治挑衅，其目的是图谋实现非法主张合法化，并否定中国在南海的领土主权和海洋权益。中方不接受、不参与所谓的“裁决”。

 

These development achievements may have invited jealousy. The US launched its “Asia-Pacific rebalancing” in 2010, and the six years afterwards have seen profound impacts in Southeast Asia.

 

As far as the South China Sea issue is concerned, the “Asia-Pacific rebalancing” emboldened certain ASEAN countries, a typical example being the Philippines’ provocation of the Huangyan Dao Incident in 2012 and its unilateral initiation of the South China Sea arbitration in January 2013.

 

The South China Sea arbitration instigated by the Philippines is political provocation under the cloak of law, the purpose of which is to legalise illegal claims and deny China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea. China will neither accept nor participate in the arbitration.

 

所谓南海航行自由问题本身就是个伪命题。每年10万多艘各国船只安全、自由通过南海地区，没有任何问题。作为南海周边最大国家和世界第一大货物贸易国，中国的生存高度依赖南海，南海是中国最主要的贸易通道。南海和平与稳定、南海航行与飞越自由对中国至关重要。中国比包括美国在内的任何国家都重视南海和平与稳定。

 

The so-called issue of freedom of navigation in the South China Sea is a pseudo-proposition. There are over 100,000 ships from countries around the world sailing safely and freely through the South China Sea every year. As the largest country of the region, and also the world’s largest goods trading nation, China’s survival is highly dependent on the South China Sea, which is China’s most critical trade channel.

 

The peace and stability of the South China Sea, and the freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea region is critical to China. China attaches greater importance to maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea than any other country, including the United States.

 

2013年底开始的中国岛礁建设是为应对地区局势变化被迫进行的，指责中国岛礁建设引起局势紧张是本末倒置。中国是最后一个在南海进行岛礁建设的国家，而且是在自己的岛礁上进行。中国岛礁建设的规模和速度，与中国作为大国所承担的国际责任和义务完全匹配。菲律宾等其他声索国在非法侵占的中国岛礁上进行的建设活动都在中国之前，从未停止过。指责中国挑起南海局势紧张，不是对中国误解，就是故意抹黑。

 

China started construction on the islands and reefs in the South China Sea at the end of 2013, the timing of which indicates that China was forced to react, given the changes in regional situation. Any accusations regarding China’s construction creating tensions puts ‘the cart before the horse’.

 

China is the last country to undertake construction in the South China Sea, and construction was carried out on its own islands and reefs. The scale and speed of China’s reef construction matched the international responsibilities and obligations assumed by China as a major power.

 

The Philippines and other claimant countries commenced construction on illegally occupied Chinese islands and reefs well before China, and such construction has never ceased. The accusation that China provoked tensions in the South China Sea is caused by a lack of understanding of China’s actions, or is a move to deliberately discredit China. 

 

中国是现行国际体系的坚定支持者。中国通过谈判磋商与12个陆地邻国解决了边界问题，占中国陆地边界总长度的90%。这是中国尊重、遵守国际法的例证。中国不接受菲律宾仲裁案是行使国际法所赋予的权利。

 

China firmly supports the existing international system. Through consultations and negotiations, China has solved border issues with twelve land neighbors, accounting for 90% of China’s total land borders. This exemplifies China’s respect for and compliance with international laws. China does not accept that the arbitration case instigated by the Philippines as an exercise of rights under international law. 

 

中国愿继续坚持与地区有关国家达成的“双轨思路”，即有关争议由直接当事国通过谈判协商解决，南海和平稳定由中国和东盟国家共同维护。地区国家已达成《南海行为宣言》。如果各方切实遵循这一宣言，本地区和平与稳定能够得到维护。当然，这也需要包括美国在内的域外国家，同中国和东盟国家相向而行，而不是相反。

 

China is willing to continue to adhere to the ‘dual-track approach’ reached with relevant countries in this region, that is, relevant disputes should be resolved by sovereign states directly concerned through consultation and negotiations, and the peace and stability of the South China Sea should be jointly maintained by China and ASEAN countries.

 

Countries in this region have reached the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC). Provided that all parties strictly adhere to the DOC, regional peace and stability can be maintained.

 

Of course, this also requires countries outside of the region, including the United States, to work in the same direction as China and ASEAN nations, rather than opposite.