Recently CNN.co.jp reported the following:
中国、ＵＡＥの港で極秘の施設建設 米の圧力で工事中止
2021.11.21 Sun posted at 14:35 JST
（ＣＮＮ） 中国がアラブ首長国連邦（ＵＡＥ）の首都アブダビ近くで利用権を得ている港湾内で軍事用ともされる施設の建設を極秘で進め、これを把握した米国がＵＡＥに再三圧力を加え、工事が少なくとも現段階では中止されていることが２１日までにわかった。
この問題に通じる２人の関係筋がＣＮＮに明らかにした。工事はここ数カ月間、米政府高官や米連邦議会の有力議員の外交的な努力の焦点ともなっていた。ＵＡＥに対する米国の最新型戦闘機や他の先端的な軍需品の輸出を頓挫させかねない問題ともなっていた。
工事に関連する情報に詳しい関係筋は「ＵＡＥを説得し、工事をやめさせることに成功した」としながらも、「この問題に決着が付いたわけではない」とも釘を刺した。
米政府当局者は、商業用のハリファ港の内部で進められていた工事は軍事施設と判断して、少なくとも１年間、進捗（しんちょく）状況などを注視してきた。同港はアブダビから約５０マイル（約８０キロ）離れ、中国の複合企業体が運用しているという。
ＵＡＥへの圧力はトランプ前政権時代から始まっていた。米議員らはアブダビ首長国の皇太子に接触し、懸念を伝えるなどしていた。
米国はＵＡＥを中東内における対テロ作戦の重要な協力国と位置づけている。アブダビ郊外にあるＵＡＥの空軍基地には数千人規模の米軍兵士も駐留している。
中国とＵＡＥはハリファ港を純然たる商業用の港と主張しているが、関係筋によると、米情報機関は商船を装っていたものの、中国軍が電波傍受による情報収集に通常使う船舶の入港を確認してもいた。
ＵＡＥ側がこの港に絡む中国側の意図をどの程度察していたのかについて米側の見解は分かれている。ワシントンのＵＡＥ大使館の報道担当者は声明で、中国の軍事基地や何らかの前哨基地を受け入れる合意や計画、話し合いなどをしたことは一度もないと主張した。
Translation
(CNN) (CNN) - China was secretly constructing military
facilities in ports that China had obtained access to near Abu Dhabi, the
capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and the U.S. put pressure on the UAE
repeatedly after it had gotten hold of this. It was understood on 21st that
construction had been halted at least at this stage.
Two sources familiar with the matter revealed this to CNN. Construction had also been the focus of diplomatic efforts by senior U.S. government officials and leading members of the U.S. Congress for the past few months. It was also a problem that could disrupt the export of the latest US fighters and other cutting-edge munitions to the UAE.
A source familiar with the construction-related information gave a warning that, "we succeeded in persuading the UAE to stop the construction"; but said that "This problem has not been settled."
U.S. government officials had determined that the work
underway inside the commercial Hamriya (ハリファ ) port was a military facility and had been watching the
progress for at least a year. The port was about 50 miles (80 km) away from Abu
Dhabi and which was operated by a Chinese conglomerate.
Pressure on the UAE began during the pre-Trump administration. US lawmakers had contacted the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and raised concerns.
The United States positioned the UAE as an important partner in counter-terrorism operations in the Middle East. Thousands of US soldiers were also stationed at the UAE air force base on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi.
China and the UAE claimed that the port of Hamriya was a purely commercial port, but sources said the U.S. intelligence agency confirmed that the Chinese military used normally entering ships to collect information by intercepting radio waves by disguising them as merchant ships.
The US side's views were divided on how much the UAE side was aware of the Chinese side's intentions to develop connection with this port. A spokesman for the UAE embassy in Washington said in a statement claimed that they had never agreed, planned, or discussed to accept a Chinese military base or any outpost.
China was seeking to develop commercial ports around the
world, but US government officials saw it as a clear effort to gain a foothold for
military use. China had already developed commercial ports in Pakistan and Sri
Lanka, and in 2017 it also built the first overseas military base in Djibouti in
Africa.
So, U.S.
government officials have determined that the work underway inside the
commercial Hamriya port is for military purpose and has been watching the
progress for at least a year.
沒有留言:
張貼留言