■中方主張通過雙邊談判解決南海爭議。圖為中國南海艦隊。 資料圖片【原文】在海牙國際法院將對菲律賓單方面提起的南海仲裁案作出裁決前夕，中國外交部（The Chinese Foreign Ministry）發出聲明，強調中國堅決反對菲律賓的單方面（unilaterally）行動，重申對於仲裁「不參與、不接受、不承認」的嚴正立場，並堅持通過雙邊談判來解決中菲在南海的有關爭議的原則。
中國和菲律賓隔海相望，兩國人民的交往源遠流長，友誼（solidarity）深厚。在南海問題上，中菲之間雖然存在一些爭議（petty differences），但兩國過往一直在友好協商的基礎上，建立對話機制，展開務實合作，努力通過雙方的共同努力來解決有關海洋劃界和領土爭議（territorial disputes）。
菲方單方面關上談判大門
但是，從2013年起，菲律賓在美國的慫恿、挑唆下，不顧中菲一直在展開協商的現實，悍然單方面向海牙國際法院（International Court of Justice）提起南海仲裁，關上了與中國談判解決爭議的大門；菲律賓還採取了一系列挑釁和損害中國南海領土主權（sovereignty）的行動，導致中菲關係和南海局勢急劇惡化（brought tension）。
出現今天這樣的局面，根源在於美國為了推行其「重返亞太、遏制中國」的戰略（Pivot to Asia policy），在幕後鼓動和支持菲律賓等南海周邊國家，損害中國的南海權益，破壞南海原本穩定的局面。而菲律賓則忘卻了美國在上世紀曾經對自己造成的嚴重傷害，反過來充當了美國勢力擴張的爛頭卒（a pawn of the US hegemony）。
中方不接受第三方解決方式
事實上，菲方單方面提起仲裁，不僅違背中菲之間達成並多次確認的通過雙邊談判解決有關爭議的共識（bilateral consensus），違反其在《南海各方行為宣言》中作出的莊嚴承諾，是對「約定必須遵守」原則的破壞和對《聯合國海洋法公約》爭端解決機制的濫用。
本着這個原則立場，中方對所謂仲裁秉持「不參與、不承認」的態度，無論海牙國際法院作出怎樣的裁決，中方也將堅持這一原則立場。
中國一向珍惜與周邊國家人民的傳統友誼，致力通過雙邊談判，依照國際法（international laws）等基本原則，合情合理地解決歷史遺留的一些領土糾紛問題。過去這方面的成功例子數不勝數。在領土主權和海洋界問題上，中方也一再主張要通過雙邊談判來解決，談判的大門是始終敞開的。
中方絕不接受任何訴諸第三方（ third parties）的爭端解決方式，更不接受任何強加於中國的爭端解決方案。 （摘錄自文匯報社評 9-6-2016） （標題及小標題為編輯所加）
Only bilateral talk accepted for South China Sea disputes
【譯文】The Chinese Foreign Ministry released a statement prior to The Hague's upcoming ruling on the South China Sea, stressing that China would neither accept nor take part in the case and was committed to settling the disputes through bilateral negotiation. The case was filed unilaterally by the Philippines.
As neighboring countries across the sea, solidarity between the peoples of China and the Philippines have been deep and longstanding.
Even though there might be some petty differences over the South China Sea issue, the two nations have always been attempting to resolve the territorial disputes through friendly cooperation and dialogues.
Philippines closes the door of dialogues
However, the Philippines has discarded the Chinese negotiation efforts and slammed the doorway to cooperation shut in 2013 under the influence of the United States, by unilaterally filing a case to the International Court of Justice (ICJ). In addition to escalating the issue to The Hague, the Philippines has also brought tension to the South China Sea by provoking China with various acts that clearly violate the Chinese sovereignty over the region.
Responsibility for the tense situation today has to be on the US and its Pivot to Asia policy, as the US destabilizes the region and damages China's national interests by supporting the claims of other countries in the likes of the Philippines. Apparently, the Philippines has forgotten about the devastation brought by the US over the last century, and is now willing to become a pawn of the US hegemony.
China rejects any thirty party resolution
By unilaterally appealing to the ICJ and rejecting China's negotiation efforts and its bilateral consensus with China, the Philippines not only betrayed its solemn promises on the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, it has also violated the spirit of contract and abused the mechanism of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Under such circumstances, China is to reject the court's jurisdiction over the issue, refuse to take part in the proceedings, and has vowed to ignore its ruling.
China has always valued her friendship with every neighboring countries and peoples, and has always been striving to settle unresolved historical territorial disputes through dialogues while abiding by international laws, while such claim is backed by countless examples of successful endeavors. China has stressed the importance of bilateral talks on issues regarding territorial sovereignty and maritime boundaries, and negotiations with neighbouring countries in the region are always welcome.
China would never accept intervention from third parties, and would swiftly reject all their propositions of any sort.■Jeffrey Tse [ywc_jeffrey@hotmail.com]
Exercise
1. 爛頭卒
2. 國際法院
3. 重返亞太
4. 雙邊談判
5.《聯合國海洋法公約》
6. 海牙
7. 《南海各方行為宣言》
8. 海洋界
9. 領土糾紛
10. 裁決
Answer
1. Pawn
2. International Court of Justice
3. Pivot to Asia
4. Bilateral talks
5. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
6. The Hague
7. Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea
8. Maritime boundaries
9. Territorial dispute
10. Ruling
