来源：倍可亲(backchina.com)
路透社12月2日报道，英国驻美大使达罗克在华盛顿一家智库发言中称，正在日本访问的英国战机将飞越中国南海(专题)“争议水域”，以彰显国际法中的飞越自由权力。中国外交部发言人对此做出了回应。
凤凰卫视记者针对相关消息向英国外交部进行了询问，英国外交部2日作出书面回应，称“路透社引述内容正确”，但报道并不准确。
即英国大使虽然说了“英国台风战机将飞越南海，以维护南海的‘航行自由’”，但英国政府并没有“宣布”将飞越中国南海。
凤凰卫视报道及英国外交部回应
观察者网翻译英国外交部书面回应原文如下：
抱歉回复稍晚，我们是在确认昨日英国驻美国大使讲话的准确版本。你们提问所依据的，路透社的版本并不准确。该社所发表的引述内容是正确的，但英国政府的政策并没有改变，也并没有宣布将飞越中国南海。
·英国对于中国南海的立场是长期一贯的，并无改变。我们关注紧张局势，并致力于维护符合国际法（联合国海洋法公约）的和平海上秩序。
·我们在这一事务上并不选边站，也不支持任何一个声索方。我们的承诺是遵守国际法，以及航行和飞越自由。
·我们希望看到在南海通过和平谈判达成有约束力的行为准则。英国全力支持欧盟在7月15日、3月11日的声明，以及G7领导人在5月26日作出的联合宣言。
·皇家空军的台风战斗机今年秋天曾在飞往日本途中飞越中国东海，他们使用了国际航线。
路透社原报道截图
路透社原报道
路透社2日报道称，英国驻美国大使金姆·达罗克1日在华盛顿一家智库表示，正在日本访问的英国“台风”战机将飞越南海，以维护南海的“航行自由”。他同时透露说，英国航母在2020年列装服役后，也将在太平洋海域进行巡航。与达罗克一同参加活动的还有日本驻美国大使。
达罗克说，出于对航海安全的关切，眼下正部署访问日本的英国战机飞越有争议的部分南海上空，以“维持国际领空的飞越权”。但他未给出行动的具体时间。
耿爽相关回应
关于欧盟在7月15日、3月11日作出的声明，以及G7峰会首脑在5月26日作出的联合宣言
欧盟在7月15日发表的声明中称，欧盟对“海牙常设仲裁法庭”的裁决予以承认，呼吁各方努力以和平手段解决争端；欧盟对争端各方的领土主张持中立态度。
欧盟在3月11日的声明中称，在南海“争议”岛屿上部署军事设施将会影响地区安全，并呼吁结束南海地区“军事化”。欧盟方面表示：“在南海‘争议’地区临时或永久的军力部署将会影响到该地区的安全，也可能威胁到该区域的飞行及航行自由。欧盟方面敦促有关各方以和平手段解决争端，阐明其主权声索的依据，并遵守国际法及《联合国海洋法公约》。”
G7峰会首脑在5月26日作出的联合宣言中，关于中国南海的内容为：“我们再次确认，各国根据国际法提出主张，对可能加剧紧张的单方面行动进行自制，不使用武力和武力威胁让自己的主张得以通过，解决纠纷应通过包括仲裁在内的和平手段”。
资料图：英国驻美国大使金姆·达罗克
（翻页可阅：英国外交部书面回应英文版、路透社原报道英文版）
英国外交部书面回应：
Apologies for not coming back to you on this sooner – we were making sure that we had an accurate transcript of what our ambassador to the U.S. said yesterday. For your background, the Reuters copy is not accurate. The quotes they print are correct, but there has been no change in UK Goverment policy and no announcement of overflies is the South China Sea. Our lines on the issus (attributable to an PCO spokeswoman) are as follows:
·The UK’s position on the South China Sea is long standing and has not changed. We have concerns about tensions and are committed to maintaining a peaceful maritime order under international law (UNCLOS).
·We do not take sides or support any claimant over another. Our commitment is to international law and freedom of navigation and overflight.
·We want to see peaceful negotiations and a binding code of conduct in the South China Sea.
The UK fully suports the view expressed by the EU in its statements of 15 July and 11 March, and by G7 Leaders in their Declaration of 26 May.
·RAF Typhoon fighter aircraft transited the East China Sea this fall on their way to and back from Japan, using recognised air ways.
路透社2日报道（已补充中国外交部和新华社回应内容）：
British fighter planes visiting Japan will fly over the South China Sea and Britain will sail aircraft carriers in the Pacific once they are operational in 2020, given concerns about freedom of navigation there, Britain’s ambassador to the United States said on Thursday.
The envoy, Kim Darroch, told a Washington think tank that British Typhoon aircraft currently deployed on a visit to Japan would fly across disputed parts of the South China Sea to assert international overflight rights, but gave no time frame.
Speaking at an event also attended by Japan’s ambassador to Washington, Darroch said that most future British defense capacity would have to be directed toward the Middle East, but added:
”Certainly, as we bring our two new aircraft carriers onstream in 2020, and as we renew and update our defense forces, they will be seen in the Pacific.
”And we absolutely share the objective of this U.S. administration, and the next one, to protect freedom of navigation and to keep sea routes and air routes open.”
In spite of Britain’s preoccupations in the Middle East, “we will try to play our part” in the Pacific, he said.
Four British fighter planes arrived in Japan in October to take part in exercises with Japanese forces at a time of rising tensions over China’s pursuit of disputed territory in East Asia, including the South and East China Seas.
In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said all countries had freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea, in accordance with international law, and there was no dispute about that.
”We hope the relevant party can earnestly respect regional countries’ efforts to safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea,” he told a daily news briefing.
A commentary on the official Chinese news agency Xinhua took a stronger tone, saying UK-China ties could be hurt.
”Such remarks create the impression that London may soon deviate from a largely aloof attitude over the South China Sea issue and start playing a meddling role there like the United States and Japan,” it said.
”Should a British warplane embark on a so-called “freedom of navigation” mission in the South China Sea, it would only serve to further complicate the issue and weigh on thriving China-Britain ties.”
Japan’s ambassador, Kenichiro Sasae, said the United States, Japan and Britain discussed greater naval cooperation at a meeting at the Pentagon in October and Tokyo welcomed greater British involvement in Asian security.
Darroch said British Prime Minister Theresa May and U.S. President-elect Donald Trump discussed the importance of all NATO members meeting their defense spending commitments in a telephone call this week, their second since Trump’s Nov. 8 election.
Darroch said all NATO states had committed to spending at least 2 percent of GDP on defense, yet only five, including the United States and Britain, were doing so.
”I think the criticism … during this election campaign that a number of NATO countries aren’t doing everything they can … is entirely fair and we will see how the incoming administration wants to take that forward,” he said.
Trump has criticized European NATO members for not meeting their spending commitments and has also called on U.S. Asian allies Japan and South Korea to pay more for their defense or risk the alliances.
Trump has said he plans to build up the U.S. military, and advisers have said he will pursue a policy of “peace through strength” in the Pacific in the face of China’s growing assertiveness.
The advisers say Trump can also be expected to take a more “robust” approach to naval operations to assert navigation rights in the South China Sea, a vital global trade route.
