太平洋島國領導人警告美國未能通過資助法案為中國打開大門

太平洋島國領導人警告美國未能通過資助法案為中國打開大門 Pacific Island leaders warn US failure to pass funding bill opens door to China    The Guardian 20240216 / Taimocracy翻譯

The Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands and Palau say Congress needs to approve fresh support announced by Joe Biden 密克羅尼西亞聯邦、馬紹爾群島和帛琉表示，美國國會要批准拜登宣佈的新支援

Pacific leaders have warned the US government that a delay in approving funding packages for the region threatens to play into the hands of Beijing, which is seeking to shift allegiances in the Pacific and draw away as many of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies as possible. 太平洋地區領導人警告美國政府，延宕批准該地區的一攬子資金計劃可能會落入北京的手中，北京正試圖改變對太平洋地區的效忠，並盡可能多地吸引台灣的外交盟友。

In 2023 the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), the Marshall Islands (RMI) and Palau agreed to renew 20-year funding programs with the United States. The agreements, known as Compacts of Free Association (COFA), see Washington provide economic assistance to the Pacific nations in return for exclusive military access to large and strategic areas of the Pacific.  2023年，密克羅尼西亞聯邦 （FSM）、馬紹爾群島 （RMI） 和帛琉同意與美國續簽為期 20 年的資助計劃。這些協定被稱為「自由聯合協定」（COFA），華盛頓向太平洋國家提供經濟援助，以換取對太平洋大片戰略地區的獨家軍事准入。

But despite bipartisan support for the new programs, known as Compacts of Free Association (COFA), the funding is yet to be approved by Congress months later – even though the additional amount currently needed is a relatively small $2.3bn. 但是，儘管兩黨都支援被稱為「自由聯合協定」（COFA）的新計劃，但這筆資金尚未在幾個月後得到國會的批准——即便目前需要的額外金額相對較小，只有23億美元。

Republican James Risch, of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, led a 24-senator bipartisan group in sponsoring an amendment to include COFA funding in the contentious $95bn wartime aid package for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan which was passed by the Senate this week. 參議院外交關係委員會的共和黨人James Risch）導了一個由24名參議員組成的兩黨小組，提出了一項修正案，將COFA的資金納入參議院本周通過的有爭議的950億美元烏克蘭、以色列和台灣戰時援助計劃中。

The presidents of the three COFA countries have grown increasingly anxious, repeatedly writing letters stressing the agreement’s importance, according to Reuters. 據路透社報導，COFA三國的總統越來越焦慮，一再寫信強調該協定的重要性。

In a joint letter to Senate leaders dated last week, they warned the delay had “generated uncertainty among our peoples” and “resulted in undesirable opportunities for economic exploitation by competitive political actors in the Pacific.” 在上周致參議院領導人的聯名信中，他們警告說，拖延「在我們的人民中產生了不確定性」，並「導致了太平洋地區競爭性政治行為者進行經濟剝削的不良機會」。

“We … cannot overstate the importance to all of our nations of final approval by the US Congress,” they wrote.  他們寫道，「我們再怎麼強調......美國國會最終批准對我們所有國家的重要性都不為過。」

A separate letter from Palau’s president, Surangel Whipps, was explicit in warning that the delay played into the hands of China and politicians in Palau who wanted to accept Chinese economic inducements to shift diplomatic recognition of Taiwan to Beijing. Whipps noted the joint area of the islands was greater than that of the 48 contiguous United States, and the COFA agreement gave the US “strategic control of the sea and air between Hawaii and Asia”. 帛琉總統Surangel Whipps的另一封信明確警告說，這一拖延正中了中國和帛琉政客的下懷，他們希望接受中國的經濟誘惑，將對台灣的外交承認轉移到北京。Whipps指出，這些島嶼的聯合面積大於美國本土的48個島嶼，COFA協議賦予美國「對夏威夷和亞洲之間海空的戰略控制權」。

“Every day it is not approved plays into the hands of the [Chinese Communist party] and the leaders here … who want to accept its seemingly attractive economic offers – at the cost of shifting alliances, beginning with sacrificing Taiwan,” he wrote. 「只要它不被批准，每一天都在[中國共產黨]和這裡的領導人手中......他們想接受其看似有吸引力的經濟提議——以改變聯盟為代價，從犧牲台灣開始，」他寫道。

Letters dated 12 and 13 February, from the Marshall Islands president Hilda Heine, carried similar warnings. 馬紹爾群島總統Hilda Heine 2月12日和13日的信中也提出了類似的警告。

“Further delay … threatens to undermine confidence in the US and to encourage some to agree to PRC enticements,” Heine wrote.  Heine寫道：「進一步拖延......有可能破壞對美國的信心，並鼓勵一些人同意中國的誘惑」。

Beijing claims Taiwan is a province of China, and has vowed to one day annexe it under what it calls “reunification”, using military force if deemed necessary. In the meantime it has used acts of military intimidation, economic coercion, cognitive warfare, and diplomatic isolation to push Taiwan towards accepting Chinese rule. In recent years it has drawn away several of Taiwan’s few remaining diplomatic allies, including Nauru in January, and Honduras in 2023. There are now just 11 countries which recognise Taiwan as a sovereign country, most of them small nations in the Caribbean or Pacific regions. 北京聲稱台灣是中國的一個省，併發誓有朝一日要吞併台灣，並在必要時使用武力。與此同時，它利用軍事恐嚇、經濟脅迫、認知戰和外交孤立等手段，推動台灣接受中國的統治。近年來，它已經拉走了台灣為數不多的幾個外交盟友，包括 1 月的諾魯和 2023 年的宏都拉斯。現在只有11個國家承認台灣是主權國家，其中大多數是加勒比海或太平洋地區的小國。

Ambassadors from some of these allies have previously told the Guardian they remain linked with Taiwan for reasons ranging from strongly held principles of solidarity among small nations, to financial benefits.  其中一些盟國的大使此前曾告訴《衛報》，他們與台灣保持聯繫的原因包括小國之間堅定的團結原則，以及財政利益。

In 2023 the COFA funds accounted for about 20% of the Marshall Islands’ annual government revenue, and 30% of Palau’s.  2023年，COFA資金約佔馬紹爾群島年度政府收入的20%，佔帛琉的30%。

Taiwan’s ministry of foreign affairs called Whipps an “adamant ally” of Taiwan, and said it had reaffirmed ties with Palau despite the pressure, and was working to further boost cooperative arrangements including on tourism.

Taiwan’s government has made clearer in recent years that it would not object to countries recognising both them and Beijing, but Beijing is strict on not allowing any of its diplomatic allies to also recognise Taiwan. 台灣外交部稱Whipps是台灣的「堅定盟友」，並表示儘管面臨壓力，它仍重申了與帛琉的關係，並正在努力進一步促進包括旅遊在內的合作安排。近年來，台灣政府更明確地表示，它不會反對國家承認台灣和北京，但北京嚴格不允許其任何外交盟友也承認台灣。

One of the most controversial switches in recent times was Solomon Islands, which cut its 36-year-old ties with Taiwan in favour of China in 2019, and went on to sign lucrative trade pacts with Beijing and, in 2023, a highly contentious security agreement. The agreement prompted alarm in the US and among its western and regional allies, about Beijing’s military presence in the Pacific.  最近最具爭議的轉變之一是所羅門群島，它在 2019 年切斷了與台灣長達 36 年的關係，轉而支持中國，並繼續與北京簽署利潤豐厚的貿易協定，並在 2023 年簽署了一項極具爭議的安全協定。該協議引發了美國及其西方和地區盟友對北京在太平洋地區的軍事存在的擔憂。

In January the US-based Institute for the Study of War said the COFA arrangements gave the US extensive military access through the three countries’ sprawling territories, which included key sea lanes.  今年1月，總部設在美國的戰爭研究所（Institute for the Study of War）表示，COFA的安排使美國能夠通過這三個國家的廣闊領土（包括關鍵的海上通道）獲得廣泛的軍事准入。

“The loss of COFA funding would present an opportunity for the CCP to expand its economic influence with these vital Pacific Island countries,” it said. “失去COFA資金將為中共提供機會，以擴大其對這些重要太平洋島國的經濟影響力，”它說。

Congressional aides told Reuters they are still working to find other ways of approving the COFA funding, including by possibly adding it to emergency spending bills in March, but add there is no guarantee of success.  國會助手告訴路透社，他們仍在努力尋找其他方式來批准COFA的資金，包括可能在3月份將其添加到緊急支出法案中，但補充說不能保證成功。

The Biden administration has repeatedly urged Congress to approve the COFA funding and stressed that China is waiting to take advantage.  拜登政府一再敦促國會批准COFA的資金，並強調中國正在等待佔便宜。

“We reiterate our call on Congress to pass Compacts-related legislation as soon as possible,” a state department spokesperson said when asked about the delays. 「我們再次呼籲國會儘快通過與契約相關的立法，」國務院發言人在被問及延宕時說。

The White House’s senior director for east Asia, Mira Rapp-Hooper, told the US Institute of Peace thinktank on Thursday that getting the COFAs funded was “really second-to-none in terms of our strategic tasks that we have to take on this year.”  白宮東亞事務高級主任米拉·拉普-胡珀（Mira Rapp-Hooper）周四對美國和平研究所（US Institute of Peace）智庫表示，獲得COFA的資助「就我們今年必須承擔的戰略任務而言，確實是首屈一指的」。

“It just simply must be done,” she said. 「這就是必須完成的事情，」她說。