New rules mean civilian ships can be used by military

The country has approved a set of technical guidelines that require all civilian shipbuilders to ensure that their new vessels are suitable for military use in an emergency, the China Classification Society has revealed.

中国船级社发布消息，中国已经通过一系列技术指导，规定所有民用船只制造厂确保其新生产的船只在紧急情况下，适用于军事用途。

The Technical Standards for New Civilian Ships to Implement National Defense Requirements cover five categories of vessels - container, roll-on/roll-off, multipurpose, bulk carrier and break bulk.

新生产民用船舶的技术标准要符合国防要求，主要分为集装箱船、滚装船、多用途船、散货船、杂货船等5大类。

They establish specifications and design requirements that will mean vessels can serve national defense needs if they are mobilized, the society said in a statement.

船级社在一份声明中称，民用船只的建造规格和设计要求应使船只在收到动员时，能够满足国防需求。

The document is the result of a five-year joint effort by the society’s Shanghai Specifications Institute and ship experts from the People’s Liberation Army’s Nanjing Military Command, and has been ratified as a national military standard.

该文件由船级社下属的上海规范研究所和人民解放军南京军区的船舶专家耗时五年，共同努力研究的，同时获批为国家军用标准。

Its implementation will enable China to convert the considerable potential of its civilian fleet into military strength and will greatly enhance the PLA’s strategic projection and maritime support capabilities, according to the statement.

声明称，该规定的实施将使中国民用船队的巨大潜力转化为军事实力，并将大大提高中国人民解放军的战略投送和海上支援能力。

In addition, the national legislature will soon begin work on a National Defense Transport Law that will entitle shipbuilders to receive funds to cover the extra cost of making ships suitable for military use and provide insurance for owners in case their vessels are damaged during military operations, PLA Daily reported.

解放军报报道称，此外，国家立法机关很快将开展国防交通法的立法工作，造船厂将能够获取资金以填补船只军用改装的额外支出，同时，船主将获得保险，来应对在船只有可能在军事行动中受损。

China had about 172,000 civilian ships at the end of last year. More than 11,000 were dedicated to inshore transportation operations and around 2,600 performed ocean transportation, statistics from the Ministry of Transport show.

交通部数据显示，截止去年年底，中国约有17.2万搜民用船只，其中超过1.1万艘用于近海运输业务，约2600艘执行远洋运输。

In the past, only State-owned shipbuilders would consider military potential. The new standards will help translate the private shipbuilding sector’s strength into military prowess.

在过去，只有国有造船厂会考虑军事用途。新的标准将有助于将私有造船业的潜力转化为军事力量。

Li Li, a military logistics researcher at the PLA National Defense University, said Western navies have benefited considerably from their close collaboration with private shipbuilders.

解放军国防大学军事物流研究员李莉称，西方海军同私有造船厂的密切合作使他们受益巨大。

The United Kingdom requisitioned or refitted a large fleet of civilian ships to support its operations in the 1982 Falklands War, also known as the Malvinas War, and the rapid deployment of these vessels greatly assisted the Royal Navy, she added.

她补充道，英国在1982年福克兰群岛战争也就是马岛战争中，征用改装了大量民用船只，支持其军事行动，这些船只的快速部署极大的帮助了英国皇家海军。

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来源:纽约时报中文网爱语吧作者:孙梦光