支持霸权政府是危险选择

海牙国际法庭7月12日裁定中国在南海大部分海域不享有 “历史性权利”，否认中国在该海域的主权之伸张。该项裁决是对意欲控制该资源丰富之海域的中国政府之重挫，也对其占领南海之野心产生巨大影响。

An international court in Hague ruled on Tuesday that Beijing has no historical rights over most of South China sea, denying China’s claims of sovereignty in the region. The ruling has dealt a major blow to China’s intention to control the resource rich waters, and has profound implications for China’s maritime ambitions.

该项裁决亦激发了中国民众的强烈民族主义情绪，许多人坚决支持中国政府抵制该项裁决的立场，称海牙裁丝毫不会威胁到中国的领土主权和海洋权益。与此同时，社交媒体上谴责该项裁决的言论也大量涌现。

The ruling has sparked a strong sense of nationalism among Chinese people, who strongly support their government position to reject the ruling, claiming that China’s territory sovereignty and maritime rights in the seas are not affected by it. Comments in condemning the ruling has flooded social media.

“中国根本不承认海牙国际法庭！海牙裁决是废纸一张！”

“We don’t recognize the authority of the international court in Hague! Its decision is nothing more than a piece of garbage!”

自从2012年4月菲律宾当局曾试图扣留南海黄岩岛附近海域的中国渔船，但却被中国海监船阻止之事件后，这片水域便成为中菲两国间的南海领土争端焦点。

Since April 2012, when Chinese surveillance ships blocked the Philippian authorities’ attempt to arrest Chinese fishing vessels in the Scarborough Shoal, the area has been the flashpoint of a territory dispute in the South China Sea between the two countries.

大约两年前，中国更加强硬地对包括石油勘探权和捕捞权在内的南海主权进行伸张。此后，配备水炮和冲锋枪的中国军舰便不断在Scarborough附近海域进行咄咄逼人的军事演习，以期以震慑阻止任何菲律宾渔船进入该片水域。

About two years ago, China strengthened its claim of sovereignty over the South China Sea – from oil exploration to fishing rights. Since then Chinese warships, armed with water cannons and assault rifles relentlessly conducted aggressive maneuvers in the Scarborough, trying to block any Philippines’ fishing boats from entering the shoal.

被中国当局发现的菲律宾渔船往往也会遭遇厄运。有些菲律宾船员会遭到中国海警的殴打，他们的鱼网会被割断，捕获的海产也会被没收。《纽约时报》一名记者曾跟随一艘菲律宾渔船前往南海黄岩岛，对其亲眼目睹的，在该海域驻守的中国海警拖船给菲律宾渔民所造成的威赫恐吓进行了一线报道。

Philippines fishing boats detected by Chinese authorities faced a grim fate –their crews were beaten by Chinese officers, fishing lines were cut and their catches were seized. A Times’ reporter who took a trip to the shoal with a Filipino fishing boat, gives a first hand account of the fishermen’s fear by the Chinese military presence in the shoal.

在该名记者乘坐的渔船被一艘百吨级的中国海警拖船发现后，拖船有意凑近渔船以期掀起千层巨浪。海警拖船一直开到距离渔船不到100英尺的地方停下，通过扬声器要求渔船立即离开水域。惊恐万分的船长立即下令渔船立即掉头。

When their fishing boat was spotted by 1000-ton Chinese coast guard trawler, it purposely generated large waves by pulling within 100 feet of the fishing boat, and demanded immediate retreat through a loud radio speaker. Terrified, the captain ordered the boat to turn around immediately.

船长表示：“我们可不想遭炮轰。”

“We don’t want to get shot,” he said.

随着中国经济实力日益增长，中国政府的霸道行为也遍及国内外。在中国政府以其强大的军事实力向手无寸铁的菲律宾渔民发威的同时，其在国内也对宗教信徒、人权卫士和香港书商等政治异见者实施了大力打压。

In fact, China’s rising economic power has led to an increase in bullying practices by the Chinese government on both domestic and international fronts.  As it flexed its military muscles to intimate the powerless and vulnerable Philippian fishermen, it has launched domestic crackdowns on political dissidents – from religious believers to human rights activists to Hong Kong booksellers.

利用其不公正的强制性法律，中国政府亦开始进行渗透性宣传，对舆论施行严审，并遏制媒体自由。自2012年以来，中国政府一直打压宗教团体，并摧毁了许多教堂的十字架。去年7月，有300多名律师及属下，亲属被拘押、消失无踪或是遭到持续的政治监视。

Enforcing unjust and repressive laws, the Chinese government has started pervasive propaganda and censorship and suppression of media freedom. Since 2012, it has cracked down on religious groups and destroyed crosses on church buildings. In July last year, over 300 lawyers, associates and relatives were jailed, disappeared and subjected to constant political surveillance.

中国政府对政治异见者发起的铁腕打压行动不仅仅局限于中国大陆。出售对中国领导人进行非议之书籍的香港书商被从泰国或其他地方带走遭监禁，并被施以文革惯用迫害手段，包括被迫在电视上认罪等。

It has launched the most ruthless crackdown on dissidents that go beyond Mainland China. Hong Kong book store sellers who sold books critical of Chinese leaders, were abducted from Thailand and elsewhere and forced to make TV confessions, a practice used during the Cultural Revolution.

不可步当年的殖民主义和帝国主义的后尘，中国政府必须学会通过谈判，利用法律手段来解决与邻国的领土争端。如果中国政府想要在国际舞台上继续发挥自己的主导作用，它就必须把凭借军事实力，以流血的方式来解决问题的思维扔掉。

The Chinese government must learn to negotiate under due legal process when settling territorial disputes with its neighbors, and not adopt a colonial and imperialist attitude. If China wants to continue to be a forefront on the international stage, it must move past using military might and bloodshed to solve its problems.

中国的经济繁荣发展给予其强大的军事实力，令其有能力在南海主权问题上摆出强硬姿态。但是，对军事实力的滥用属于欺霸行为，而欺霸行为会给无辜平民带来巨大伤害。在霸权面前，我们不应屈服，任从，躲在霸权主义的阴影下为其暴政和专制欢呼喝彩。如果我们不能认清局势而伸张正义，则会使自己置于欺霸者的铁蹄下， 成为其下一个牺牲品。

China’s economic miracle has given it the military power to adopt an aggressive posture towards its sovereignty claims in the South China Sea. However, bullying is an abuse of that power that can cause tremendous harm to innocent civilians. In the face of a bully, we need to stand up and hold them accountable, rather than cheering its tyranny and hailing itsdomination. Failing to do so, we will put ourselves under a greater risk of being bullied and becoming the next victim.