【新唐人2013年12月16日訊】北京單方面設立「東海防空識別區」之後,中、美關係趨向緊張。隨後,美國副總統拜登訪華。但就在拜登訪華期間,中、美兩艘軍艦在南中國海的國際海域發生對峙,險些相撞。外界評論,中共的對外擴張和美國的重返亞太戰略本來就不可調和,再加上中共在內外交困之下,恐怕會不惜引發戰爭來維繫政權,因此這類事件很可能還會發生。
14號,美國五角大樓對外表示,12月5號在南中國海的國際海域,一艘中共海軍兩棲登陸艦,危險的向美國「考本斯號」導彈巡洋艦靠近,從美艦的前方不足500米切過。幸好「考本斯號」立即採取閃避措施,避免了一起軍艦相撞事件。事後,美國政府通過外交和軍事渠道向中方提出抗議。
據報導,當時,中共軍隊的航空母艦「遼寧號」正在南中國海區域演練,而美國「考本斯號」巡洋艦就在「遼寧號」的附近海域。外界注意到,前來干擾「考本斯號」在公海正常行動的中方軍艦,只是一艘小型的登陸艦,與美方的巡洋艦並不匹配。
旅美中國問題專家石實:「如果這船被撞沉了的話,它(中共)在輿論上會佔據一定的主動。它用一種弱的東西和強的東西來對峙,它那種挑釁的理念從中可以看得非常清楚。」
旅美中國問題專家石實向《新唐人》表示,目前中國大陸經濟惡化、政治也很混亂,在這種情況下,中共就只能通過外交、軍事等手段,對外轉嫁危機,甚至為此而不惜一戰,來鼓惑大陸民眾,以此凝聚民心,來維繫政權。
石實:「在那個時候,他們(民眾)就會忘記中共以前幹的一些事情,經濟也沒弄好、甚麼也沒弄好。他們(中共)最想要的目地就是在這個時候製造混亂,然後能夠凝聚民心,使他們的政策能夠推行下去。」
上個月(11月)23號,北京單方面宣佈設置「東海防空識別區」,招來周邊國家的強烈抗議,中、美關係也陷入緊張。日本、南韓和美國紛紛派遣軍艦進入「識別區」,以表示拒絕接受這個爭議很大的防空區。
12月4號、5號,美國副總統拜登訪問中國。而就在5號,發生了中、美兩國軍艦對峙事件。
對此,美國中文雜誌《中國事務》總編伍凡表示,目前中共隨著軍事力量的增強,正在向外擴張,這與美國的重返亞太戰略產生了對抗。
美國中文雜誌《中國事務》總編伍凡:「中、美兩國的軍事力量,在南海要開始進行較量了,也就是,從東海擴大到了南海。美國要(重返亞太)再平衡,要保護它的日本、菲律賓等盟友,所以在這個地方就發生了衝突。」
此外,石實也分析指出,從這個事件可以看到背後各種勢力在活動。比如事件發生後,前中共政治局常委曾慶紅控制的官媒《環球時報》開始發聲,鼓動中共軍方採取行動。
石實:「意圖也是非常明顯。就是要把這個局勢攪黃。尤其是這一段時間,周永康被抓的消息滿天都是的時候,那麼對於他們(江澤民派系)來說,把這個事情弄混,對他們來說也是有相當大的好處。」
去年,前重慶市委書記薄熙來垮臺之後,同屬江澤民派系的周永康、曾慶紅,曾在中國大陸上百座城市煽動大規模反日遊行,意圖攪局,延緩中共「十八大」召開,使江派延續手中權力,同時試圖為薄熙來翻案。
因此,這一次的中、美軍艦對峙事件,也被外界質疑有可能是江派故伎重演。
採訪/朱智善 編輯/李謙 後製/君卓
US and Chinese Warships Nearly Collide While US Vice President Biden Visits China
Beijing unilaterally proclaimed the
“East Sea Air Zone” in November.
Subsequently, relations between China
and the United States have been strained.
Soon afterwards, US Vice President Joe Biden visited China.
During Biden’s stay in China, in international
waters of the South China Sea, aircraft
carriers from the US and China almost collided.
Commentators suggest incompatibility between
the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) expansion
strategy and the US Asia-Pacific strategy.
The Chinese Communist Party is currently
beset with troubles internally and externally.
It seems that in order to maintain its governance, it
will even start a war to relieve the crisis it is facing.
On December 14, the Pentagon stated that when the
USS Cowpens was operating in international waters
in the South China Sea on December 5, a Chinese
warship came within a 500-meter distance.
The US ship was forced to take
evasive action to avoid a collision.
Afterwards, the US government protested
via foreign affairs and military affairs.
As reported, the USS Cowpens was operating in the
vicinity of China’s only aircraft carrier, “the Liaoning”.
It was reported that it was a small landing
craft that challenged USS Cowpens.
It was not well-matched in strength with the US ship.
Shi Shi, China expert: “If the Chinese vessel was
hit and sank, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)
would gain an advantage with public opinion.
The party was trying to challenge
something strong with something weak.
You can tell their ideology from what happened.”
Shi Shi told the NTD Television that the Chinese economy
keeps deteriorating and politics is also chaotic in China.
Under this situation, the party is trying to transfer
the crisis via diplomacy and military affairs.
They are doing it at any cost, even through provoking a war.
Shi Shi: “When war is provoked, people
might forget what the party did badly before,
either with the economy or anything else.
The Chinese Communist Party aims to win popular support
by creating chaos, so that they can maintain governance.”
On November 23, Beijing unilaterally
proclaimed “the East Sea Air Zone”.
It demanded that aircraft flying through the air zone
need to provide flight plans and other information.
The US and its allies rejected the CCP’s demands.
The US, Japan and Korea have continued
to fly military aircraft into the zone in protest.
US Vice President Biden visited China on December 4
and 5. On 5 December, Chinese and US ships almost collide.
Wu Fan, Chief Editor of Chinese magazine
“China affairs”, commented on these events.
Wu stated that the Chinese Communist Party is
expanding outwardly, reinforcing its military power,
which is in conflict with the US Asia-Pacific Strategy.
Wu Fan: “China and the US will
start contesting in the South Sea.
This means the contest has expanded
from the East Sea to the South Sea.
The US Asia-Pacific strategy is to protect
its allies like Japan and the Philippines.
That’s where conflicts take place.”
Based on Shi Shi’s analysis, now
all forces are eager to take actions.
After the event, the Global Times raised a voice.
The Global Times is under the control of Zeng Qinghong,
a former Politburo standing committee member.
Shi Shi: “The party’s intention is very
obvious. It means to create chaos.
Especially, when the news about Zhou Yongkang
being arrested has been all over the place.
Any chaos will benefit the Jiang Zemin faction.”
Last year, there were large scale anti-Japan protests
in hundreds of cities in China, which created chaos.
These protests were caused by the Jiang Zemin faction,
namely Zhou Yongkang and Zeng Qinghong, when
Bo Xilai, former Secretary of Chongqing, fell from grace.
They also delayed the party’s 18th National Congress.
This had the effect of prolonging the power of the
Jiang faction, and to help Bo Xilai make a comeback.
Therefore, it was suspected that the aircraft carrier event
is the same sort of old trick that Jiang’s faction plays.