中方呼吁新加坡尊重中国南海立场

FM calls on Singapore to respect China’s sea stance

中方呼吁新加坡尊重中国南海立场

China’s foreign ministry called on Singapore to respect China’s stance on the South China Sea issue on Tuesday, a further indication that China is upset about Singapore’s enthusiasm for an increasing US presence in the Asia-Pacific region.

周二，中国外交部呼吁新加坡尊重中国在南海问题上的立场，这进一步显示出：新加坡对美国在亚太地区日益增长的存在感所表现出的热情让中国很失望。

Foreign ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang told a daily news briefing that China hopes countries will remain fair and objective over the South China Sea disputes.

外交部发言人耿爽告诉一家每周资讯简讯，中方希望在南海争议上，各国家间可以保持公正和客观。

Without mentioning the name, Geng admitted having noticed a recent Chinese newspaper report saying that Singapore had insisted on rendering the issue into the final document of the 17th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit, which was held on September 17 and 18 at Venezuela’s Margarita Island. More than 100 countries attended the summit, including Vietnam and Laos.

耿承认，中方已经注意到最近一份没有提及名称的中国资讯报道，该报道称，新加坡一直坚持将南海争议递交为第十七个不结盟运动（南）峰会最终文件，该峰会将于九月十七日和十八日在委内瑞拉的玛格丽塔岛举行。包括越南和老挝在内的一百多个国家会参加本次峰会。

The facts are clear. Individual countries insisted on highlighting the South China Sea-related contents in the outcome document, but failed to do so, because they did not secure the approval of the majority of NAM members and these contents did not represent the consensus of parties related to the South China Sea issue, Geng said.

耿说：“事实很明显。个别国家坚持强调南海相关内容的成果文件，但未能如愿，因为他们不能保证大部分不结盟运动国家的同意，文件内容不能代表中国南海问题相关政党的一致意见。”

The NAM Summit was not an appropriate forum to discuss the South China Sea issue and the final document of the summit should be based on the long-held consensus principle to reflect all the member countries’ common views, Geng said. He noted that the situation in the South China Sea is moving in a positive direction under joint efforts from China and ASEAN members.

耿说，在第十七个不结盟运动（南）峰会上讨论中国南海问题并不合适，峰会的最终文件应该基于长期坚持的协商一致原则，要反映所有成员国的共识。他强调道，在中国和东盟成员的联合努力下，中国南海的情况正向着积极的方向发展。

Analysts said Singapore’s action at the NAM summit would hurt bilateral relations.

分析人士称，新加坡在峰会上的行为会伤害两国双边关系。

Singapore has advocated its support for the South China Sea arbitration award many times inside the ASEAN grouping. It has been getting closer to the US after former Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew’s death, seeking to maximize its own interests in the Asia-Pacific region by using the US to contain China’s regional influence, Zhuang Guotu, head of the Center of Southeast Asian Studies at Xiamen University, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

周二，厦门大学东南亚研究中心主任庄国图告诉《环球时报》，“新加坡在东盟内部间多次宣称支持中国南海仲裁。自从前任首相李光耀去世以后，新加坡就一直在亲近美国，企图利用美国控制中国的区域影响力，最大化自己在亚太地区的利益。”

Sino-Singaporean relations have been dampened by Singapore’s improper actions at the NAM Summit, though future relations are still bright, given the strengthening economic and maritime cooperation in the region, Zhuang said.

庄说，尽管因为区域间经济和海洋合作加强，双方未来关系仍然光明，但是新加坡在第十七届不结盟运动峰会上的不恰当行为，损害了中新关系。