China is making big moves in Antarctica as it attempts to position itself for maximum influence on the world's last unclaimed piece of land, Jane Perlez reports for The New York Times.
據(jù)《紐約時(shí)報(bào)》記者裴若思向該報(bào)報(bào)道,中國(guó)正在南極洲展開重大舉動(dòng),力圖在這片僅存的尚未被人類征服的土地上謀得具有最大影響力的戰(zhàn)略位置。

Although Beijing did not establish its first Antarctic research base until 1985, Chinese efforts to expand its influence across the continent have intensified and are now outpacing other nations' plans.
中國(guó)直至1985年才在南極洲建立了第一個(gè)考察站,盡管如此,近年來(lái),中國(guó)加緊了自己向這塊跨洋大陸擴(kuò)張影響力的步驟,其步伐之快已經(jīng)超出了其他國(guó)家的計(jì)劃。

"China’s operations on the continent — it opened its fourth research station last year, chose a site for a fifth, and is investing in a second icebreaker and new ice-capable planes and helicopters — are already the fastest-growing of the 52 signatories to the Antarctic Treaty," Perlez notes.
記者裴若思稱:“中國(guó)在去年設(shè)置了第四個(gè)南極考察站,還為第五個(gè)南極考察站選定了位置,現(xiàn)在還在投資建造第二艘破冰船、可以在冰上升降的新型飛機(jī)和直升機(jī)等考察設(shè)備——中國(guó)在南極洲的建設(shè)步伐在52個(gè)《南極條約》簽訂國(guó)中是進(jìn)展最快的。

The US has six research stations on the continent, while Australia has three. The Antarctic Treaty, which was signed in 1959, commits the signatories to ensuring that the continent will remain open for peaceful scientific research and that the region will not be militarized. A number of separate protocols aim to protect the Antarctic environment from overfishing and mining of what are considered to be large supplies of scarce resources in the region.
美國(guó)在南極洲有六個(gè)科考站,澳大利亞有三個(gè)。各國(guó)在1959年簽訂的《南極條約》規(guī)定,簽訂國(guó)有義務(wù)保證這塊大陸永遠(yuǎn)向和平的科學(xué)考察行動(dòng)開放許可,同時(shí)承諾不對(duì)這片區(qū)域進(jìn)行軍事控制。另有若干單獨(dú)協(xié)議旨在保護(hù)南極洲免于過(guò)渡捕撈,以及保護(hù)這一區(qū)域內(nèi)儲(chǔ)量極大的稀缺資源免于過(guò)度開采。

Although China has abided by the constraints of the pacts, observers of Antarctic affairs believe that Beijing is using the guise of research to gain a strategic upper hand in case region opens to commercial drilling in the future.
雖然中國(guó)受到上述協(xié)定的制約,但南極洲局勢(shì)的觀察研究人員相信,中國(guó)正在以科學(xué)研究為掩護(hù),謀取戰(zhàn)略優(yōu)勢(shì)地位,以便為日后這一區(qū)域?qū)ι虡I(yè)性開發(fā)開放許可之時(shí)做好準(zhǔn)備。

“This is part of a broader pattern of a mercantilist approach all around the world,” Peter Jennings, director of Australian Strategic Policy Institute, told the NYT. “A big driver of Chinese policy is to secure a long-term energy supply and food supply.”
澳大利亞戰(zhàn)略決策協(xié)會(huì)的會(huì)長(zhǎng)皮特·杰寧斯稱,“這是中國(guó)在世界范圍內(nèi)實(shí)施重商主義政策的宏大計(jì)劃的題中之義。”“中國(guó)如此決策背后的一大驅(qū)動(dòng)力在于保證長(zhǎng)期的能源供應(yīng)和糧食供應(yīng)?!?/div>

The ban on commercial drilling of resources in Antarctica is due to expire in 2048, unless the Protocol on Environmental Protection is re-ratified by consensus. If the accord does expire, Antarctica could become the next major source of hydrocarbons on earth. The region is believed to have an approximate 200 billion barrels of oil, in addition to being the largest single repository of fresh water on the planet.
對(duì)南極洲能源商業(yè)性開發(fā)的禁令將在2048年終止,除非《環(huán)境保護(hù)協(xié)議》經(jīng)各國(guó)協(xié)商重新生效。如果這一協(xié)定屆時(shí)真的廢止,南極洲或?qū)⒊蔀榈厍蛏舷乱粋€(gè)碳?xì)浠衔锏闹饕_采源。據(jù)證實(shí),這一區(qū)域內(nèi)石油的存儲(chǔ)量約為2000億筒,同時(shí)南極洲還是地球上僅有最大的淡水庫(kù)。

China's current investments could place it in an unrivaled position to take advantage of any resources on the continent in 2048.
中國(guó)目前的投資數(shù)額或能使其在2048年獲得上無(wú)可比擬的優(yōu)勢(shì)位置,在這塊大陸上占據(jù)對(duì)所有種類資源的優(yōu)先權(quán)。

"China's exploration of the continent is like playing chess. It's important to have a position in the global game," Guo Peiqing, a law professor at the Ocean University of China told The Guardian. "We don't know when play will happen, but it's necessary to have a foothold."
中國(guó)海洋大學(xué)法學(xué)院教授國(guó)培平對(duì)《衛(wèi)報(bào)》記者稱,“中國(guó)對(duì)南極洲的征險(xiǎn)就像是在下象棋。在這一世界各國(guó)參加的棋局中放好棋位是非常重要的?!薄拔覀儾恢篮脩蚝螘r(shí)開場(chǎng),但謀得一個(gè)立足點(diǎn)是十分必要的?!?/div>