【英语中国】温家宝为中国对朝韩争执的立场辩护

Wen Jiabao, the Chinese premier, defended China's impartial position over rising Korean tensions, saying yesterday that South Korea “would suffer the most” in any conflict with the North.

Tensions have heightened on the peninsula since Seoul accused Pyongyang of sinking one of its warships in March.

The apparent torpedo attack on the Cheonan corvette killed 46 sailors. The North denies responsibility.

“It would be the people of South Korea who would suffer the most in any conflict, and it would also be difficult for China to escape unscathed,” Mr Wen told Japanese television yesterday. “When the castle gate burns, even the fish in the pond suffer.”

China, which is North Korea's communist ally but also South Korea's biggest trade partner, is treading a tightrope between the two countries. Beijing has brushed aside international calls to criticise the North, saying its priority is maintaining peace. The Chinese have urged restraint from both sides.

Although South Korea, assisted by its US and Japanese allies, could probably defeat North Korea in any war, most military analysts believe that Seoul would be destroyed by North Korean rockets, and that there would be significant casualties on both sides.

China has traditionally feared any fragility and volatility in North Korea.

Beijing is concerned about the possibility of tides of refugees pouring across the border and unrest in a million-strong army equipped with crude atomic warheads.

While refusing to support South Korea publicly, Mr Wen repeated his stance that China would not “unfairly shield” whoever was responsible for the sinking.

South Korea has taken heart from this line. Diplomats in Seoul concede that China would never be able to condemn North Korea in public.

Their hope is that Beijing will not block a strongly worded condemnation of North Korea at the United Nations Security Council.

China says it has not reached any conclusion on whether North Korea was responsible for the attack on the Cheonan. Seoul says it is open to a visit from any Chinese scientific delegation that might want to examine the shattered hull of the warship and the torpedo that was dredged from the seabed.

中国总理温家宝昨日为中国对日益紧张的朝鲜半岛局势的不偏不倚立场进行了辩护，称如果韩朝发生冲突，韩国“将受害最深”。

自首尔方面指控朝鲜今年3月击沉韩国一艘军舰以来，朝鲜半岛的紧张局势已经升级。

韩国“天安号”警戒舰显然是在遭受鱼雷攻击后沉没的，有46名水兵在此次事件中丧生。朝鲜方面拒绝对此负责。

温家宝昨日向一家日本电视台表示：“如果发生冲突，受害最深的是韩国人民，中国也难于幸免。城门失火，殃及池鱼。”

作为朝鲜的共产党盟友和韩国的最大贸易伙伴，中国正在朝韩两国之间“走钢丝”。北京方面没有理睬国际社会要求批评朝鲜的呼声，称其当务之急是维护和平。中方已敦促朝韩双方保持克制。

虽然韩国在美国和日本盟友的协助下，多半会在战争中击败朝鲜，但大多数军事分析家认为，首尔将在战争中被朝鲜火箭摧毁，朝韩双方都将付出重大伤亡。

中国历来担心朝鲜出现任何垮台迹象和动荡。

北京方面关切的是，潮水般的朝鲜难民可能会蜂拥穿越中朝边界，配备原始核弹头的朝鲜百万大军可能会爆发内乱。

虽然拒绝公开支持韩国，但温家宝也重申了自己的立场，即中国不会“偏袒”沉船事件的肇事者。

韩国从这番话中受到鼓舞。首尔的外交官承认，中国永远无法公开谴责朝鲜。

他们期盼的是，北京方面不会阻挠联合国安理会对朝鲜发出措辞强硬的谴责。

中国表示，对于朝鲜是否要对攻击“天安”舰负责，它尚未得出任何结论。首尔方面表示，它愿意接待中国派遣的技术小组，让中方人员检查破碎的船体和从海底打捞出的那枚鱼雷。

译者/何黎