馬來西亞派出海軍船隻到沿海水域監控中國船

A few weeks ago the Asahi News on-line reported the following:

マレーシア、近海の中国船監視に海軍艇派遣

シンガポール＝都留悦史、ハノイ＝佐々木学

2015年6月14日00時08分

　南シナ海の領有権問題で、マレーシアが実効支配する岩礁に、マレーシア海軍が対艦ミサイル搭載の船艇を派遣した。現場海域を最近、中国の公船が頻繁に往来しているためで、海軍は「領海内に侵入した中国船の監視が目的」とするが、現場で緊張が一段と高まる恐れもある。

　国際軍事情報誌「ＩＨＳジェーンズ・ディフェンス・ウィークリー」が１１日、マレーシア海軍報道官の話として伝えた。

　海軍は今月３日、ボルネオ島北部から約１２０キロ離れたルコニア礁の一部で、マレーシアが実効支配する南ルコニア礁に船艇を配備した。ＡＦＰ通信によると、ジャーファル海軍司令官は今月初旬、「昨年９月ごろから、中国海警局の船による侵犯が増えた」と説明。現場海域に停泊する中国船に、無線を通じて立ち退きを求めたが、「応答がない」（ジャーファル氏）と不満を漏らしていた。

　ＩＨＳに対し、海軍報道官は「軍の運用手続きに基づいて中国船を監視している」と答えた。

(試譯文)

  Due to sovereignty disputes in the South China Sea, the Malaysian navy had dispatched boats equipped with anti-ship missiles to the reef that Malaysia had practical and effective rule. A reason was that recently Chinese official ships were frequently coming and going in that sea area; for the navy they "aim at monitoring the Chinese ship that might invade into the territorial waters". There was also a fear that tensions would further heighten at the site.

  On the 11^th (June), a Malaysian navy press attaché told this to an international military information magazine the "IHS Jane's Defense Weekly".

  On the 3rd this month (June) the navy deployed a boat in the Southern Rukonia reef where they had practical effective control. It was the part of the Rukonia reef that was about 120 kilometers away from Borneo Island north of Malaysia. According to AFP communication, at the beginning of this month, Jafaru the navy commander explained that "invasions by ships from the China Maritime Police Bureau had increased from around September last year". Through a radio they asked the Chinese ships which anchored at that sea area to evacuate, but there was "no response" (Mr. Jafaru)

was complaining.

  A navy press attaché replied to IHS that "Chinese ships were being watched based on army operation procedures".

It seems that Malaysia has good reasons to beef up its maritime security and there are good reasons for them to be cautious.