AS IT IS 2015-09-27 Is East Asia Becoming More Militarized?

AS IT IS 2015-09-27 Is East Asia Becoming More Militarized?

Territorial¹ claims have become a stressful issue in East and South East Asia over the past few years.

Conflicts over territory include the Spratly and Paracel islands in the South China Sea. Countries dispute ownership and China continues to expand its footprint.    

President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke² about the issue during Mr. Xi’s state visit to the United States. At a joint³ news conference, President Obama repeated his concerns about the maritime⁴ territory.

“We did have candid⁵ discussions on the East and South China Seas. I reiterated⁶ the right of all countries to freedom of navigation and overflight and to unimpeded commerce.”

Mr. Obama said he repeated concerns to Mr. Xi about land reclamation⁷ in the South China Sea. He said China’s action of filling in land in disputed island areas makes it hard to resolve dispute peacefully with neighbors.

President Xi defended China's claim to the area. He said China’s construction work on artificial islands in the South China Sea does not target any country. He also said that China "doesn't intend to pursue militarization."

China claims much of the South China Sea as its territory. However, Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam also claim parts of western Pacific waters. Over the past 45 years, all these nations have reclaimed⁸ land in the South China Sea.

But their efforts are small compared to the 1,200 hectares reclaimed by China in the past 18 months.

The sea is important as a waterway for international trade. It is estimated that 40 percent of world trade passes through the South China Sea. Free navigation of its waters is highly important.

The sea is important for its resources, too. It contains important fisheries and is also believed to hold oil and natural gas reserves.

China has accessed a large share of these resources. It dominates the region economically and geographically⁹. It has built military bases on islands in the sea that include docks and airstrips.

China is not alone in building an airstrip on islands in the sea. But its runways are large enough for military aircraft. This has worried its neighbors and the U.S. that China wants to control this area. The U.S. has said it is committed to open and free shipping¹⁰ in the area.

Efforts by a group of Asian countries called ASEAN -- the Association of South East Asian Nations -- have not solved the issue. China is not a member of ASEAN. And the group is split.

Countries with claims in the South China Sea want to enforce a “code of conduct.” But countries without claims are unwilling¹¹ to push for that requirement.

China's increased military spending

China’s military presence looms¹² large in the area. The country’s military budget, officially at $145 billion, increased 10 percent in 2015. Many new weapons were on display at the recent World War II anniversary parade. 

They included the Dongfeng 21-D missile, called the “carrier killer” by Chinese media. China has an aircraft carrier base on Hainan Island in the South China Sea.

In July, China accused the United States of militarizing the area because of U.S. surveillance patrols and joint military exercises with allies like the Philippines.

Changes to laws related to Japan’s Constitution

Japan’s constitution renounces¹³ war as a way to settle international disputes. On September 18, the Japanese government changed laws to its constitution that allows Japan’s Self-Defense Forces to fight outside the country with allies even if Japan is not under attack. The changes were passed by a coalition¹⁴ of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s Liberal Democratic Party and the Komeito party.

The changes caused large protests and sharp disagreement in Parliament. One public opinion study found that 54 percent opposed the bills while 29 percent supported updating the constitution.

Japan moves from pacifism

But Japan’s neighbors -- China and North and South Korea – were skeptical¹⁵. Those countries have painful historical memories of Japanese occupation and colonization¹⁶ before World War Two.

China’s official People’s Daily Overseas Edition wrote that Prime Minister Abe had “brought huge uncertainty¹⁷ to the security situation in the Asia-Pacific region.”

Jeff Kingston is director of Asian Studies at Temple University in Tokyo. He said Prime Minister Abe has not helped the public understand the new bills.

China and Japan disagree over who owns islands in the Sea of Japan called Senkaku by Japan and Diaoyu by China. Neighboring South Korea also claims islands known as Dokdo in Korea and Takeshima in Japan.

Words in This Story

candid –adj. expressing opinions and feelings in an honest and sincere way

unimpeded –adj. not slowed, delayed or blocked

skeptical –adj. having or expressing doubt about something

1 territorial   

adj.领土的，领地的

参考例句：

• The country is fighting to preserve its territorial integrity.该国在为保持领土的完整而进行斗争。
• They were not allowed to fish in our territorial waters.不允许他们在我国领海捕鱼。

2 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

3 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

4 maritime   

adj.海的，海事的，航海的，近海的，沿海的

参考例句：

• Many maritime people are fishermen.许多居于海滨的人是渔夫。
• The temperature change in winter is less in maritime areas.冬季沿海的温差较小。

5 candid   

adj.公正的，正直的；坦率的

参考例句：

• I cannot but hope the candid reader will give some allowance for it.我只有希望公正的读者多少包涵一些。
• He is quite candid with his friends.他对朋友相当坦诚。

6 reiterated   

反复地说，重申( reiterate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• "Well, I want to know about it,'she reiterated. “嗯，我一定要知道你的休假日期，"她重复说。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• Some twenty-two years later President Polk reiterated and elaborated upon these principles. 大约二十二年之后，波尔克总统重申这些原则并且刻意阐释一番。

7 reclamation   

n.开垦；改造；（废料等的）回收

参考例句：

• We should encourage reclamation and recycling.我们应当鼓励废物的回收和利用。
• The area is needed for a land reclamation project.一个土地开垦项目要在这一地区进行。

8 reclaimed   

adj.再生的；翻造的；收复的；回收的v.开拓( reclaim的过去式和过去分词 )；要求收回；从废料中回收（有用的材料）；挽救

参考例句：

• Many sufferers have been reclaimed from a dependence on alcohol. 许多嗜酒成癖的受害者已经被挽救过来。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They reclaimed him from his evil ways. 他们把他从邪恶中挽救出来。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

9 geographically   

adv.地理学上，在地理上，地理方面

参考例句：

• Geographically, the UK is on the periphery of Europe. 从地理位置上讲，英国处于欧洲边缘。 来自辞典例句
• All these events, however geographically remote, urgently affected Western financial centers. 所有这些事件，无论发生在地理上如何遥远的地方，都对西方金融中心产生紧迫的影响。 来自名作英译部分

10 shipping   

n.船运（发货，运输，乘船）

参考例句：

• We struck a bargain with an American shipping firm.我们和一家美国船运公司谈成了一笔生意。
• There's a shipping charge of ￡5 added to the price.价格之外另加五英镑运输费。

11 unwilling   

adj.不情愿的

参考例句：

• The natives were unwilling to be bent by colonial power.土著居民不愿受殖民势力的摆布。
• His tightfisted employer was unwilling to give him a raise.他那吝啬的雇主不肯给他加薪。

12 looms   

n.织布机( loom的名词复数 )v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的第三人称单数 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近

参考例句：

• All were busily engaged,men at their ploughs,women at their looms. 大家都很忙，男的耕田，女的织布。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The factory has twenty-five looms. 那家工厂有25台织布机。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 renounces   

v.声明放弃( renounce的第三人称单数 )；宣布放弃；宣布与…决裂；宣布摒弃

参考例句：

• Japan renounces all right, title and claim to Formosa and the Pescadores. 日本放弃对福尔摩沙（台湾）及澎湖的一切权利，主张（名称）及所有权。 来自互联网
• He renounces Christianity, temporarily straining his relationship with his parents. 他放弃了基督教信仰，从而与父母的关系暂时变得紧张。 来自互联网

14 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

15 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。

16 colonization   

殖民地的开拓，殖民，殖民地化； 移殖

参考例句：

• Colonization took place during the Habsburg dynasty. 开拓殖民地在哈布斯堡王朝就进行过。
• These countries took part in the colonization of Africa. 这些国家参与非洲殖民地的开发。

17 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。