南海問題：公道自在人心
The South China Sea Issue: Justice Naturally Inhabits Man’s Heart

中國駐肯尼亞大使 劉顯法
H. E. Dr. Liu Xianfa, Chinese Ambassador to Kenya

菲律賓不顧中國強烈反對，單方面提起并執(zhí)意推進南海仲裁，還誣稱中國拒絕參與仲裁是破壞國際法治。一些域外國家并非南海問題當事方，也充當起“庭外仲裁員”，為仲裁庭的裁決指定方向，把“不遵守國際規(guī)則”、“以強凌弱”的帽子扣在中國頭上。事實真的是這樣嗎？中國在改變南海現(xiàn)狀嗎？中國為什么不參與南海仲裁？“有理不在聲高，公道自在人心”。在此我愿與讀者們談一談。
Regardless of the strong opposition from the Chinese side, the Philippines stirred up the arbitration farce on the South China Sea issue, claiming that China’s non-participation in the arbitration undermines international rule of law. Some countries outside the South China Sea labeled China as “not abiding by international law” and “bulling the weak”. Are these the facts? Is China trying to change the status quo of the South China Sea? Why does China not participate in the arbitration? There is a Chinese saying that “Loudness is not necessarily persuasive and justice naturally inhabits man’s heart.” Hereby, we would like to discuss with the readers about this issue.

中國不接受、不參與南海仲裁案的主張合情合理。歷史不容否認，真理不容歪曲。事實是，2000多年前中國就最早發(fā)現(xiàn)、命名、開發(fā)經(jīng)營南海諸島，南海海域是歷史上連接中國和世界的“海上絲綢之路”的重要通道，也是中國漁民世代生產(chǎn)和生活的場所。事實是，歷代中國政府通過行政設治、軍事巡航、生產(chǎn)經(jīng)營、海難救助等方式，持續(xù)對南海諸島及其附近海域行使主權管轄。事實是，70多年前的二次世界大戰(zhàn)勝利后，中國依據(jù)國際法收復了日本侵略者曾經(jīng)侵占的西沙、南沙群島，在島上派兵駐守并建立各類軍事、民事設施，從法律和事實上恢復了對南海諸島行使主權。直至上世紀60年代，國際社會包括南海沿岸國家從未就中國對南沙群島的主權提出過質(zhì)疑?，F(xiàn)在某些嗓門很高的國家當時還以外交照會、公開出版地圖等方式承認南沙群島是中國的領土。事實是，上世紀70年代南海發(fā)現(xiàn)儲量豐富的石油后，菲律賓等一些沿岸國家開始蠶食和侵占中國的島礁。中國在南海問題上實際成為最大的受害者。
The statement of China’s non-acceptance and non-participation on the arbitration is logical and reasonable. The history cannot be denied and truth cannot be distorted. The fact is, China has first discovered, named and developed the South China Sea Islands since 2000 years ago. In history, the South China Sea was an important waterway of the “Maritime Silk Road” that connected China and the World, also the area for generations of Chinese fishermen to live and work. The fact is, successive Chinese governments have exercised continuous jurisdiction over the islands by means of administrative control, military patrol, production and business operations, and maritime disaster relief. The fact is, about 70 years ago, following its victory in the World Anti-Fascist war, in accordance with international law, China sent warships to recover the Xisha and Nansha islands from the Japanese invaders, and garrisoned troops and built various military and civilian facilities on the islands, thus resuming exercise of sovereignty over the South China Sea Islands de jure and de facto. Until 1960s, the International community, including the coastal countries of the South China Sea, has never aroused any query towards China’s sovereignty over the South China Sea Islands. The country who accused China on this issue has actually recognized China’s sovereignty over the South China Sea Islands by ways of Diplomatic Notes and published maps at the time. Since 1970s, after the discovery of abundant deposit of petroleum at the South China Sea, Philippines and some other coastal countries started to encroach and occupy the China’s islands around that area. China is actually the victim on the South China Sea issue.

中國不接受、不參與南海仲裁案的主張于法有依。首先，《聯(lián)合國海洋法公約》在序言中就開宗明義指出，“認識到有需要通過本公約，在妥為顧及所有國家主權的情形下，為海洋建立一種法律程序?！薄巴诪轭櫦八袊抑鳈唷笔沁m用《公約》確定締約國海洋權利的前提。而所謂南海仲裁，卻企圖挑戰(zhàn)南海南沙群島部分島礁的領土主權和海域劃界，明顯缺乏法理依據(jù)。其次，中方已于2006年根據(jù)《公約》第298條作出聲明，將涉及海洋劃界、歷史所有權、軍事行動、行政執(zhí)法等問題排除適用強制爭端解決程序。中國不是第一個更不是唯一一個行使此權利的國家。事實上，全球已有30多個國家根據(jù)《公約》作出了排除性聲明，5個安理會常任理事國除美國尚未加入《公約》外，4國均作出了類似聲明。中國作出的排除性聲明符合相關國際法和普遍國際實踐。
The statement of China’s non-acceptance and non-participation on the arbitration has ample jurisprudential evidence. The preamble of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (“Convention”) proclaims “the desirability of establishing through this Convention, with due regard for the sovereignty of all States, a legal order for the seas and oceans”. It is apparent that “due regard for the sovereignty of all States” is the prerequisite for the application of the Convention to determine maritime rights of the States Parties. However, the arbitration farce attempts to meddle in the territorial sovereignty of the South China Sea Islands and maritime delimitation, which is lack of jurisprudential evidence. Moreover, China made a clear declaration in 2006 in accordance with Article 298 of the Convention that the disputes concerning maritime delimitation, historic bays or titles, military and law enforcement activities could not be submitted for arbitration. China is not the first, neither the only country that exercised this right. In fact, there are more than 30 countries have already made this kind of declarations according to the Convention, including four permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (The United States has not yet joined the Convention). In that case, the declaration of China is in accordance with international law and practice.

中國不接受、不參與南海仲裁案的主張著眼未來，是堅定維護和建設國際法治的體現(xiàn)。中國政府歷來主張，領土主權和海洋權利爭端應通過談判解決。中國已與14個陸地鄰國中的12個國家通過談判妥善解決了邊界問題，占中國陸地邊界總長度的90%，2000年中國也與越南劃定了在北部灣的海洋邊界。這是新中國奉行獨立自主的外交政策及睦鄰友好的周邊外交政策、踐行國際法取得成就的最好例證。中國是維護南海和平穩(wěn)定、推動地區(qū)國家合作與發(fā)展的堅定力量，這一點從未動搖和改變。
The statement of China’s non-acceptance and non-participation on the arbitration farce is having the future in mind and also the demonstration of its firm supports on the international rule of law. China consistently strives for the solution of disputes of territorial sovereignty and maritime delimitation by way of negotiation. China has successfully resolved land boundary disputes with twelve out of its fourteen neighbors, delimiting and demarcating some 20,000 kilometers in length of land boundary in the process, which accounts for over 90% of the total length of China’s land boundary. In 2000, China and Vietnam concluded an agreement on establishing a maritime boundary between the two States in Beibu Bay, which strongly manifested China’s practice in international law in adherence to its independent foreign policy and friendly relations with its neighboring States.

我們將同東盟國家一道，繼續(xù)落實《南海各方行為宣言》精神，推進“南海行為準則”磋商進程，爭取在協(xié)商一致的基礎上早日達成“準則”，通過合作維護好南海的和平與穩(wěn)定，維護好各國根據(jù)國際法享有的國際航行和飛越自由，共同將南海建設成和平之海、友誼之海、合作之海。
We will continue to firmly safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea and promote the cooperation and development of neighboring countries. Regardless of the result of the arbitration, China will work together with ASEAN countries to actively follow through on Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), carry out consultation on the basis of consensus and at an early date, to reach a code of conduct in the South China Sea. China will work closely with ASEAN countries to safeguard the peace, stability and uphold the freedom of navigation in the South China Sea. China calls for a South China Sea of “peace, friendship and cooperation”.?