日本巨資援助"湄公河五國" Japan boosts aid to $6.1bn for Mekong five nations
Japan has pledged Y750bn ($6.1bn) in aid to the “Mekong five” nations over the next three years as Tokyo seeks fresh influence in a region it regards as crucial to domestic economic growth and regional strategic balance.
日本承諾未來3年將向“湄公河五國”提供7500億日元(合61億美元)的援助。日本政府認爲這個地區對國內經濟增長和區域戰略平衡至關重要，尋求在該地區擴大自身的影響力。The move at this weekend’s Japan-Mekong summit delivers a sharp rise on the Y600bn in aid Japan gave to Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar and Laos — the five states along the lower Mekong river — in the past three years.
日本在週末舉行的“日本與湄公河流域國家峯會”上宣佈的最新援助規模超過日本過去3年對該地區的援助（6000億日元）。“湄公河五國”指位於湄公河下游的柬埔寨、泰國、越南、緬甸和老撾。
Coming at a time when Tokyo is strapped for cash after years of economic stagnation and population ageing, it highlights Japan’s determination to check rising Chinese influence, and push its preference for a status quo Asia governed by international law.
在經歷多年的經濟停滯和人口老齡化後，日本正面臨資金緊張。在這種情況下增加對湄公河五國的援助，表明日本決心遏制中國不斷上升的影響力，同時推動維持其偏好的亞洲受國際法規範的現狀。
In a press conference after his summit with the five Mekong heads of state, Shinzo Abe, Japan’s prime minister, said concerns were raised about the situation in the South China Sea, a reference to China’s “island building”.
在與“湄公河五國”政府首腦會晤後舉行的新聞發佈會上，日本首相安倍晉三(Shinzo Abe)表示，南中國海(South China Sea，中國稱中國南海)的形勢令人關切，這裏指的是中國的“造島”行動。“Both sides noted concerns expressed over the recent development in the South China Sea, which will further complicate the situation and erode trust and confidence and may undermine regional peace, security and stability,” said the official communique.
官方的會議公報稱：“雙方都對南中國海最近的事態發展表示關切，這將進一步令局勢複雜化，並侵蝕信任和信心，而且可能會破壞地區和平、安全和穩定。”The Tokyo meeting followed a high-profile trip this year by a senior Japanese foreign ministry official to Cambodia and Laos, two countries central to China’s plans to boost trade ahead of the launch of a single market by the 10-country Association of Southeast Asian Nations later this year.
在此次峯會在東京召開之前，日本外務省一高級官員今年曾訪問柬埔寨和老撾，引起高度關注。在中國尋求在東盟(Asean)今年晚些時候建立單一市場之前擴大貿易的計劃中，這兩個國家處於核心位置。Beijing has invested heavily in infrastructure in the Mekong region and has cast its relationship with Asean’s market of more than half a billion people as the start of a “diamond decade”, with the aim of boosting trade both ways from $444bn in 2013 to $1tn in 2020.
中國政府在湄公河地區的基礎設施領域投入了大量資金，並將中國與東盟市場的關係稱爲“鑽石10年”的開始，目標是將雙邊貿易額從2013年的4440億美元擴大到2020年的1萬億美元。東盟地區擁有逾5億人口。
