日本尋求向澳大利亞出售蒼龍級潛艇
As US navy ships, spy planes and satellites monitor Chinese activity in the South China Sea, officials in Washington are keeping a close eye on a big submarine deal that could bring the US closer to its Pacific allies Australia and Japan.
在美國海軍艦艇、間諜飛機和衛星監控中國在南中國海(South China Sea)行動之際，華盛頓官員正密切關注一項可能拉近本國與澳大利亞和日本這兩個太平洋盟國之間關係的重大潛艇銷售協議。
In Tokyo’s first large-scale attempt to export weapons in 70 years, Japanese, German and French companies are bidding for an A$50bn contract to replace Australia’s current fleet of submarines. The deal, one of the world’s biggest defence contracts of recent times, has strategic implications in a period when the US and its allies face an increasingly assertive Chinese navy in the waters of the Asia-Pacific region.
這是日本在70年裏第一次嘗試大規模對外出口武器。日本、德國和法國的企業正在競標一項價值500億澳元、更替澳大利亞現有潛艇編隊的合同。這是近些年來世界上規模最大的防務合同之一。在美國及其盟國在亞太海域面對日益強大的中國海軍之際，這一交易將產生戰略性影響。
“As Australia is one of our closest allies, and given that they are positioned at the heart of one of the most important areas in the world, it goes without saying that the fact that Australia is investing in increased security capability, particularly in submarines, is significant,” says Vice Admiral Chris Aquilino, deputy chief of US naval operations for operations, plans and strategy. “This investment should significantly improve Australia’s — and by extension — our collective security efforts in a region of vital importance.”
“由於澳大利亞是與我國關係最密切的盟國之一，加上他們地處世界上最重要的地區之一的核心位置，不言而喻的是，澳大利亞通過投資提高安全能力、尤其是潛艇方面的能力，是非常重要的，”主管作戰、計劃和戰略的美國海軍作戰部副部長克里斯阿奎利諾(Chris Aquilino)海軍中將表示，“這一投資應會在一個至關重要的地區顯著提高澳大利亞的、乃至我們的共同安全行動能力。”
The competition has huge significance for Japan as it marks the country’s first substantial attempt to export weapons since Shinzo Abe, prime minister, ended a ban on selling arms overseas in 2014, as part of his push to make Japan a “normal” nation.
這次競標對日本的影響十分巨大，因爲這是自2014年日本首相安倍晉三(Shinzo Abe)終止向海外銷售武器的禁令以來，第一次進行武器出口的重大努力。安倍解除該禁令，是爲了使日本變成一個“正常”國家。
The US has not taken an official position even though Japan is clearly a more important ally in the Pacific region than Germany or France, which have less at stake in Asia. But Kurt Campbell, a former top US diplomat, says: “Privately there is a strong recognition that a deeper partnership between Japan and Australia is in the best strategic interests of the US.”
美國對此並未表明官方立場，儘管日本是美國在太平洋地區比德國或法國更重要的盟國。德國或法國在亞洲的利害關係更小。但是，美國前頂級外交官庫爾特丠貝爾(Kurt Campbell)表示：“私下裏，我們強烈認同，日本和澳大利亞深化合作關係最符合美國的戰略利益。”
Japan also believes that selling its Soryu-class submarines to Australia would boost joint operations with the US and Australia in the Pacific. “If there was not such a common strategic ambition, Japan would not be trying to export its treasured submarines to Australia,” says a senior Japanese official. Richard Armitage, a former US deputy secretary of state, adds that Washington would like to see Japan win since it pushed Tokyo so hard to change the law to allow arms exports. “It makes a big difference in terms of solidifying the relationship between Australia and Japan,” he says.
日本也認爲，向澳大利亞出售蒼龍級(Soryu-class)潛艇，將提升日本與美國和澳大利亞在太平洋的聯合作戰能力。“如果沒有這樣一種共同的戰略抱負，日本將不會努力把寶貴的潛艇出售給澳大利亞，”一名日本高官表示。美國前副國務卿理查德阿米蒂奇(Richard Armitage)補充道，美國願意看到日本勝出，因爲美國曾竭力推動日本修改法律，以放行對外出口武器。“如果日本勝出的話，將在鞏固澳大利亞與日本關係方面產生重大影響。”
