China building ’great wall of sand’ in South China Sea

China’s land reclamation is creating a "great wall of sand" in the South China Sea, leading to "serious questions" on its intentions.

中国在南海领域填海，建造“沙长城”，这引发了国外对其意图的“严肃质疑”。

US Pacific Fleet Commander Admiral Harry Harris made the comments in a speech in Australia on Tuesday night.

美国太平洋舰队指挥官哈里·哈里斯上校周二晚上在澳大利亚发表的演讲中对此事做了评论。

He said by pumping sand on to coral reefs and adding concrete, China had created "over 4sq/km (1.5 sq miles) of artificial landmass".

他说，通过在珊瑚礁上抽运沙子，增加混凝土，中国建造了“超过4平方千米（1.5平方英里）的人工大陆。

In recent months images have emerged of Chinese construction on reefs in the Spratly Islands to create artificial islands with facilities that could potentially be for military use, including an air strip.

近几个月一直有图片曝出中国在南沙群岛的珊瑚上建造人工岛，外界猜测可能用于军事用途，包括机场跑道。

Several nations, including Vietnam and the Philippines, also claim ownership of territory in the Spratly Islands.

越南、菲律宾等国家也声称对南沙群岛享有领土主权。

Harris described China’s land reclamation as "unprecedented".

哈里斯称中国填海造陆的行为是“前所未有”。

"China is building artificial land by pumping sand on to live coral reefs - some of them submerged - and paving over them with concrete. China has now created over 4sq/km (1.5 sq miles) of artificial landmass," he said."China is creating a great wall of sand with dredges and bulldozers over the course of months."

他说：“中国通过在活的珊瑚上（有些是水下珊瑚）抽送沙子来建造人工岛，用混凝土将他们铺平。中国现在建的人工大陆已经超过4平方千米了。中国历经几个月，用挖泥船和推土机建造了一座‘沙长城’。”

He said that considering China’s "pattern of provocative actions towards smaller claimant states" in the South China Sea, the scope of the building raised "serious questions about Chinese intentions".

他称中国这种行为略带挑衅性质，“是对中国南海周边那些同样对南海宣誓主权的国家的挑衅”，这种建造行为也引起了外界“对其意图的严肃质疑”。

The row over territory in the South China Sea has escalated in recent years, raising regional tensions.

近些年来，南海领土主权争端问题不断升级，地区局势紧张。

The Philippines has filed a complaint with UN’s Permanent Court of Arbitration - but China says it will not engage with the case.

菲律宾向联合国国际仲裁法院提出控诉，但是中国表示不会理会此案件。

In Vietnam, anti-Chinese violence broke out last year after China moved a drilling rig into disputed waters of the Paracel Islands.

去年，中国在南沙群岛争端水域设置钻探装置，越南因此爆发了反华人暴乱。

Last year, responding to a BBC report on the land reclamation, China’s foreign ministry spokesman Hua Chunying said China’s operations in the Spratly Islands fell "entirely within China’s sovereignty and are totally justifiable".

去年，针对BBC对中国填海造陆的报道，中国外交部发言人华春莹称中国在南沙群岛的行动“完全在中国主权领土范围内，是完全正当合理的。”

Asked whether the reclamation was for commercial or military use, Ms Hua replied that it was "mainly for the purpose of improving the working and living conditions of people stationed on these islands".

问及该岛用途是用于商业还是军事，华春莹回应称“主要用于提高驻扎在岛上的军民的工作和生活条件。”

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来源:China Daily爱语吧作者:Viola