中國在南中國海投入大型補給艦

A few weeks ago the NHK New on-line reported the following:

中国が南シナ海に大型補給船投入

1月5日 21時02分

南シナ海の島々の領有権を巡って中国と東南アジアの一部の国々との対立が続くなか、中国は軍などを駐留させている島に物資などを運ぶ大型の補給船を新たに投入し、南シナ海への進出をさらに強めるねらいがあるものとみられます。

中国のメディアによりますと、南シナ海に新たに投入されたのは西沙諸島（英語名・パラセル諸島）の島と中国南部の海南島を結ぶ「三沙１号」と呼ばれる補給船です。補給船は全長１２０メートル余り、排水量７８００トンと大型で、ヘリコプターも発着できるということで、５日、海南島の港で地元政府の幹部らが出席して式典が開かれたあと西沙諸島に向けて出港しました。
中国はこれまでも西沙諸島の島に補給船を定期的に運航させていますが、新型の補給船は運べる物資の量が数倍に増え、島までの航行時間もこれまでより５時間ほど短縮され１０時間ほどになるということです。中国はこの西沙諸島の島に軍を駐留させているほか、南シナ海の島々を管轄する行政組織として設置した市の庁舎を置くなどして整備を急いでいます。今回の新たな補給船の投入で、中国としては南シナ海への進出をさらに強めるねらいがあるものとみられ、西沙諸島の領有権を争うベトナムなどが反発を強めることも予想されます。

(試譯文)

As confrontation between China and some South East Asian countries over the sovereignty right of the islands at the South China Sea continued, China commissioned a new large supply ship to carry goods to the army stationed on these islands; it could be thought that the aim was to strengthen its further advance into the South China Sea.

According to the Chinese media the supply ship "San Sha Number 1" which was newly put into service at the South China Sea would linked up the West Sand Islands (English name was Parasail Islands) and Hai Nan Island that was located at the south of China. This supply ship was said to be large in size with about 120 meters in full length and a displacement of 7800-ton, also helicopter could arrive and depart from it. On the 5th (January) executives of the local government attended a ceremony held at a harbor in Hai Nan Island, and after that the ship departed for West Sand Islands.

Up to now, China had regular supply ship service to the islands at the West Sand. With this new-style supply ship the amount of goods that could be carried would be increased by several times. It was said that compared to before the sailing time to these islands would also be reduced by over 5 hours to become about 10 hours. For China, apart from stationing an army on islands in the West Sand, it also urgently installed and maintained a government office building and used it as the city’s administrative organization which controlled the islands in the South China Sea. It could be seen that by commissioning this new supply ship China had an aim to further strengthening its advance into the South China Sea. Incidents that Vietnam would strengthen its response over the sovereignty disputes for the islands at West Sand were expected.

It seems that China is strengthening its control over the West Sand Islands, and its presence in the South China Sea.