冷战初期英国政府对南沙问题的讨论及立场

The Discussion and Stance of the British Government on the Issue concerning Nansha Qundao in the Early Cold War

20世纪50年代南沙争议凸显之时,英国政府内部讨论了在历史上与其有一定关联的南威岛和安波沙洲如何应对问题,然而一致意见是因法理依据薄弱而导致"主权"主张失效,此立场在对外交往中亦有所表述。为应对南沙问题,英国政府一方面既不承认他方的南沙主权主张,也不公开放弃对两岛屿的声索;另一方面对南沙纷争持中立、不介入立场,然而在实际分析问题时有对两群岛属于中国的默认,并质疑南越、菲律宾提出的主张。在东南亚力量日渐式微的背景下,加之考虑到在南沙无实在的地缘利益,英国政府选择逐渐淡出争议舞台。英国政府相关部门对南沙某些情报的搜集和分析,能为客观认识南海局势的变化,以及他方立场提供一定参照。与美国的遏制战略不同,英国基于实际的地缘政治考虑而决定南海立场,这反映出其南海决策的自主性。

In the 1950s,when the issue concerning Nansha Qundao was highlighted,the British government discussed how to deal with the position of Nanwei Dao and Anbo Shazhou which were historically relevant.However,the unanimous opinion of the British government was that the“sovereignty”proposal was invalid due to a weak legal basis,which has been expressed in foreign exchanges.In response to the Nansha issue,on the one hand,the British government neither recognized any other side s claim on Nansha Qundao,nor publicly renounced claim on the two islands;on the other hand,it holds a neutral stance and did not interfere in the Nansha Qundao issue,while in the actual analysis,it gave tacit consent to the fact that sovereignty over the two islands belongs to China,and questioned the claim made by the Philippines and the authorities from South Vietnam.In the context that the United Kingdom is losing out in Southeast Asia,Britain had gradually to step out of the stage on the Nansha Qundao issue,considering its lack of any real geographical interest in Nansha Qundao.However,collection and analysis of certain intelligence made by relevant British departments could contribute to an objective understanding of the situation in the South China Sea and stances of other sides.Unlike the containment strategy of the United States,the United Kingdom made its own stance over the South China Sea on the basis of geopolitical drives,which reflected its autonomy in decision-making concerning the South China Sea.