驻东盟大使黄溪连关于南海问题接受泰国《民族报》采访
The Interview of Ambassador Huang Xilian on the South China Sea Issue by the Nation, Thailand
2018年7月31日
31 July 2018
不少人关心南海问题，可是有一种倾向值得警惕和矫正。那就是有些人看南海问题习惯于聚焦分歧、忽视共识，习惯于用放大镜看矛盾和摩擦，用过滤镜淡化成果和进展。我想告诉你的是，在中国和东盟国家的共同努力下，南海局势得到有效管控，呈现持续趋缓向好势头。“南海行为准则”磋商取得积极进展，海上务实合作也取得了一系列可喜成果。这一局面来之不易，值得地区国家共同珍惜，也需要其他各方共同维护。
Many people have been following closely the South China Sea issue. Yet a tendency needs to be alerted and rectified, i.e., to focus on disputes while neglecting consensus, as some are used to watching difference and disputes with a magnifier and downsizing achievements and progress with a filter. With joint efforts of China and ASEAN countries, the situation in the SCS has been effectively managed and demonstrated an easing and positive momentum. Consultation on the code of conduct (COC) has witnessed continued progress, and maritime cooperation has yielded a number of gratifying results. These achievements have not been easily won and deserve to be cherished and upheld by all regional countries, as well as other parties outside the region.
在南海问题上，中国始终坚持并积极倡导东盟国家提出的“双轨思路”，即有关争议应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。在这一政策指导下，中国坚定不移地同东盟国家在全面有效落实《南海各方行为宣言》框架下稳步推进“南海行为准则”协商，积极探讨海上务实合作。这两个轮子同时推进，都取得了不少进展。
On the SCS issue, China has been a strong supporter of the Dual-track approach initiated by the ASEAN countries, that is, disputes should be addressed through negotiations and consultations by countries directly involved, and peace and stability of the SCS should be jointly maintained by China and ASEAN countries. With this as a general guidance, China has been steadily pushing forward consultations on COC under the framework of the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of the Parties in the SCS (DOC), and actively exploring pragmatic maritime cooperation. These two wheels have been going ahead together and both made a lot of progress.
“准则”磋商取得了令人鼓舞的阶段性进展。落实《宣言》高官会和联合工作组会议机制已成为中国和东盟10国维护南海稳定、促进对话合作的最有效渠道，迄今已举行15次落实《宣言》高官会和24次联合工作组会议。2017年8月，王毅外长与东盟国家外长在马尼拉宣布达成“准则”框架。今年3月，中国与东盟国家启动了“准则”实质性案文磋商，6月底落实《宣言》高官会一致同意尽快形成“准则”单一磋商文本草案，作为下步商谈的基础。这充分表明，中国和东盟国家有智慧、有能力妥善管控分歧，制定出我们共同认同的地区规则，维护好南海和平与稳定。中国将与东盟国家继续全面有效落实《宣言》，争取在协商一致基础上早日达成“准则”。我们也希望域外国家为这一进程发挥建设性作用，为维护南海和平稳定做出积极贡献。
Encouraging and visible progress has been achieved on the consultation on COC. 15 Senior Officials’ Meetings and 24 Joint Working Group Meetings on the implementation of the DOC have been held to date. This mechanism has become the most effective platform to maintain peace and stability in the SCS through enhanced dialogue and cooperation. The Chinese Foreign Minister, Wang Yi and foreign ministers of ASEAN countries announced the completion of the Framework of the COC in August 2017. China and ASEAN countries started substantial negotiation on the COC text in March this year. At the Senior Officials’ Meeting on the implementation of the DOC at the end of June, it was agreed by all parties that a single negotiation draft text will be formed as soon as possible as the basis for the following negotiation. It is a testament that China and ASEAN countries have the wisdom and ability to craft out rules and properly manage the disputes for the sake of peace and stability in the SCS. China and ASEAN countries will continue to fully and effectively implement the DOC and endeavor to reach a COC at an early date on the basis of consensus. We also hope that countries outside the region could play a constructive role in this process and contribute to peace and stability in the SCS region.
海上务实合作的轮子也在加快运转。我只举几个例子展示合作具体成果。为防止意外、管控局势，我们发表了《中国与东盟国家关于在南海适用<海上意外相遇规则>的联合声明》，设立了中国与东盟国家应对海上紧急事态外交高官热线平台。我们发表了《未来十年南海海岸和海洋环保宣言（2017－2027）》，正在抓紧落实，旨在促进海上环保合作，共同维护南海的清洁美丽和自然生态。为增强海上救援能力，我们启动了中国—东盟国家海上搜救热线平台建设，举行了中国－东盟国家首次大规模海上联合搜救实船演练。上述举措为确保南海安全稳定发挥了重要作用，与“准则”磋商形成了“两个轮子”同时向前运转的良性互动。除了这些，我们还在探讨和推进更多的海上务实合作，比如举办海上联合演习、海洋信息技术合作研究、南海沿岸生态系统监控评估和保护战略合作研讨会、海洋酸化培训研讨会、海洋生态环境远程卫星感知培训、海上航行与通信安全研讨会等项目。这些实实在在的进展充分展示了中国和东盟国家共同维护南海和平稳定的决心和建设性努力，值得国际社会特别是媒体的更多关注和鼓励。
At the same time, the wheel of maritime cooperation has been spinning at a higher speed. Here are just a few examples: To prevent incidents and manage the situation, we issued the Joint Statement on the Application of the Code of Unplanned Encounters at Sea in the SCS and launched the Hotline platform among Senior Officials of the MFA of China and ASEAN countries in Response to Maritime Emergencies. We issued the Declaration for a Decade of Coastal and Marine Environmental Protection in the SCS (2017-2027) and now are pressing ahead with implementation, aiming at enhancing cooperation on maritime environment to safeguard a clean and beautiful SCS and protect its eco-system. To strengthen the capacity building on maritime rescue, China and ASEAN countries started the building of the hotline platform for maritime search and rescue, and held the first ever large-scale Joint Exercise on Maritime Search and Rescue. These measures have played important roles on maintaining safety and stability in the SCS, and formed a sound interaction with the consultation on COC as the two simultaneously rotating wheels. Furthermore, we are also planning to conduct more maritime cooperation programs with ASEAN countries, including the first China-ASEAN Joint Maritime Drill, China-ASEAN Marine Information Technology Cooperative Research Project, Workshop on cooperation on Coastal Ecosystem Health Assessment and Conservation Strategy in the SCS， Workshop on Ocean Acidification Training, Training on the Satellite Remote Sensing of Marine Ecological Environment, and Workshop on the Safety of Navigation and Communication at Sea. All this has demonstrated the constructive efforts by China and ASEAN countries on maintaining the peace and stability of the SCS, and deserve the attention and encouragement from the international society, especially from the media.
维护南海地区和平稳定是中国和东盟国家的共同愿望和共同责任，也符合国际社会的共同利益。我们愿与东盟国家加强对话合作，让“两个轮子”更好运转，促进南海海洋经济发展，保护好南海生态环境，维护好南海航行安全与自由，以自主方式制定出符合地区实际、各方共同遵守的地区规则，共同将南海打造为和平之海、友谊之海、合作之海。
To maintain peace and stability of the SCS is the common aspiration and responsibility of China and ASEAN countries, and serves the interests of the international society as a whole. We are ready to enhance dialogue and cooperation with ASEAN countries to make the two wheels running better, promote economic development, protect maritime eco-system and environment, safeguard navigation safety and freedom in the SCS, and draft regional rules which will meet our region's imperatives and be adhered by all, so as to build the SCS into a sea of peace, friendship and cooperation.