美国严密监视中国海军南海实弹演习（上） [联合国媒体]

US keeps close watch as Chinese navy puts on show of force in live-fire South China Sea drills 

美国严密监视中国海军南海实弹演习



Beijing flexes military muscle in test of Liaoning aircraft carrier’s combat readiness

北京方面通过测试辽宁舰战备状况展示军力

The Chinese navy launched an unprecedented week-long series of live-fire drills in the South China Sea on Thursday, as three US aircraft carrier battle groups prepare for their own exercises in the Asia-Pacific region.

周二以三支美军航母战斗群为亚太地区假想敌，中国海军在南海史无前例地举行了长达一周的实弹军事演习。

The drills overlap with this weekend’s Boao Forum for Asia which starts on Sunday in the southern island of Hainan, not far from the site of the Chinese naval exercises. 

此次军演与周日开幕的海南博鳌亚洲论坛在时间上重叠，两者相距也不远。

Military analysts said the drills, which involve the Liaoning aircraft carrier and more than 40 vessels from the North, East and South Sea fleets, were a show of China’s military muscle.

军事分析员分析表示此次包括辽宁舰以及中国北海，东海和南海舰队的40多搜舰艇在内的军事演习是中国方面对自身军力的展示。

“China wants to show the outside world its determination to defend the fruits of its economic reforms over the past 40 years,” Beijing-based military analyst Zhou Chenming said.

“中国希望对外界表明自身捍卫过去40年改革开放经济成果的决心”，北京军事分析员周成明表示。

“Like the US, China’s military might is one of the government’s political tools to protect the country’s national interests.”

“与美国相同，中国解放军也是政府保护国家利益的工具之一。”

Beijing-based naval expert Li Jie said it was the first time the Liaoning had taken part in live-fire drills.

北京海军专家李洁称此次军演是辽宁舰首次参加实弹演习。

“This will test the Liaoning’s real combat strength as well as joint-operations skills between the aircraft carrier and warships from other fleets,” Li said.

李称：“军演将测试辽宁舰的实战能力以及与其他舰队舰艇的联合作战能力。”

The exercises come as a trade war brews between China and the United States, with the two countries announcing tit-for-tat tariffs on each others’ products earlier this week. 

此次军演正值中美贸易战爆发之间，本周早前两国相继针锋地宣布对对方关键产品征收关税。

The Pentagon has also sent three aircraft carrier battle groups to the Asia-Pacific region, with the USS Theodore Roosevelt flotilla arriving in Singapore on Monday for a regular port call after a deployment in the Middle East, according to earlier reports. 

之前报道显示五角大楼也早将三支航母编队派往亚太地区，其中西奥多·罗斯福号舰队在完成中东任务后周一抵达新加坡进行定期维护。

China claims a large part of the South China Sea as its own territory, but the waters are also contested by several neighbouring countries, including Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei.

中国声称南海大部分海域为自身领土，但周边国家包括越南，菲律宾，马来西亚和文莱也宣称拥有部分水域主权。

Satellite images showed the Liaoning flanked last week by at least 40 ships and submarines just off Hainan.

卫星图片显示辽宁舰驶离海南基地后被至少40艘水面舰艇和潜艇环绕。

Chinese defence ministry spokesman Ren Guoqiang confirmed the aircraft carrier would lead large-scale naval drills, but added that they were “routine” exercises in line with China’s “defensive” military policy and that its South China Sea activities posed no threat to other countries.

中国国防部发言人确认航母编队将主导此次大规模军演，但也补充道这与中国一贯的“防御性”国防政策相一致，南海军演不对其他国家造成威胁。

Military analysts said Beijing had stepped up naval deployment in the South China Sea in response to the US’ growing military cooperation with rival claimants, including Vietnam and the Philippines. 

军事分析员表示在美国加强与包括越南菲律宾在内的南海声索国合作后，北京方面加快了在南海的军事部署。

The USS Carl Vinson and its fleet have just paid a first visit to the Vietnamese coastal city of Da Nang since the end of the Vietnam war, a move Chinese military experts said was aimed at countering Beijing’s influence in the region.
“The US’ increasing military presence in the South China Sea indicates that Washington sees Beijing as a serious competitor, not only economically, but also militarily,” Zhou said.

美国卡尔文森号航母编队在越战后首次访问越南海岸城市岘港，中国军事专家声称此举意在打击北京方面在这一地区日益增长的影响力。
周表示：“美国在南海不断增长的军事存在表明华盛顿方面讲北京方面视作一个强有力的竞争对手，不仅在经济层面也在军事层面。”

“But China realises that the military gap with the US is still very big, and all its military deployments in the South China Sea are basically defensive, including its DF-21D anti-ship ballistic missile.”
China is believed to have deployed the DF-21D, dubbed the “carrier killer”, in the East and South China seas to fend off any possible US aircraft carrier battle group attacks on coastal cities, the country’s economic heartland. 

“但中国也意识到自己与美国之间的军力差距依旧巨大，自己在南海的军事部署也主要是防御性的，包括东风-21D反舰导弹的部署。”
中国据信已在作为经济要地的沿海城市部署了有“航母杀手”美誉的DF-21D导弹，以据止美国任何有可能的航母战斗群袭击。