西太平洋地區成為美國重返亞太戰略的重要舞台，而中國與鄰國的海洋爭端是其主要抓手。美國介入南海，頻繁製造事端，旨在遏制中國，主宰亞太，維持其世界霸主地位。美國認為，《日美安保條約》是戰後東亞秩序的基石，再加上美韓軍事同盟，東北亞及東海地區已平衡，無需再平衡。美國從政治、經濟、軍事、外交各方面大力推動的“亞太再平衡戰略”主要是針對南海及東南亞地區。把南海仲裁案放在此背景下透視，幕後推手原形畢露。

一、美國慫恿菲律賓單方面提起仲裁，對中國發動法律戰和輿論戰

在菲律賓突然對中國提起仲裁之前，中菲一直在《聯合國海洋法公約》、《南海各方行為宣言》及一系列雙邊機制框架下就南海問題保持磋商。2010年美國“重返亞太”，稱其在南海有國家利益，美國將繼續“強有力且永久地維持在亞洲的存在”，利用美國的實力在亞太建立“基於規則的秩序”。美國支持菲律賓通過國際仲裁解決南海爭端，“而不必害怕任何形式的報復，包括恐嚇和逼迫”。2013年菲律賓提出仲裁後，美國要求中國接受、參與仲裁，並不斷製造國際輿論支持菲律賓，抹黑中國。

二、美國為菲律賓有關仲裁活動提供多方面的支持和幫助

美國在人力、財力、法律、軍事、外交等多方面支持菲律賓挑戰中國。且不說南海仲裁案菲方律師團隊主要由美國律師擔任，仲裁費“首付”由美國有關機構提供，美國還為菲律賓提供軍事支持和援助。在美菲軍事同盟及一系列有關軍事合作協議的基礎上，2014年4月，美國與菲律賓簽署《強化防務合作協議》。2016年3月雙方達成協議，允許美軍以輪換駐紮的方式使用菲律賓的五處軍事基地。美國實施的總額為4.25億美元的“東南亞海上安全倡議”，大部分用於菲律賓的海上能力建設。美國聲明，如果中菲發生衝突，美國會遵守《美菲共同防禦條約》，為菲律賓提供軍事保護。美國對菲軍援不斷增加，助長了菲律賓對抗中國的氣焰。

三、美國對南海仲裁案仲裁庭施加影響和壓力

2014年12月5日，美國國務院發表《海洋界限——中國在南中國海的海洋主張》，詆毀中國南海九段線及相關權益主張的合法性，支持菲律賓的仲裁請求，對南海仲裁案仲裁庭有關管轄權裁決施加影響和壓力的意圖十分明顯。美國配合仲裁進程，派出軍艦和飛機多次闖入南海有關島礁12海裏海域，實行所謂的“航行自由”行動。在仲裁庭即將作出最終裁決之際，美方號召其“地區及全球夥伴”採取措施，支持“以規則為基礎的亞太秩序”。

四、美國拉攏盟國及其他國家就南海問題及南海仲裁案對中國施壓

美國挑唆其盟國及“夥伴”利用南海仲裁案共同挑戰中國。美國提出印度、日本、澳大利亞與美國在亞太地區“聯合巡航”，建立非正式戰略同盟；建議東盟國家建立南海聯合巡航力量，並承諾美國第七艦隊將為此提供支持；鼓動日本將空中巡邏範圍擴至南海；全面解除對越南的武器銷售禁令，訓練越南的海岸衛隊，提高越南在海上執行任務的能力。此外，美國對世界各國進行遊說和施壓，要求它們支持菲律賓，反對或至少不表態支持中國的南海立場。

五、美國多方逼迫中國執行南海仲裁裁決

針對中國對南海仲裁案“不接受，不參與”的態度，美國表示，美國及盟友均認為，國際仲裁必須獲得尊重，如果中國拒絕照辦，將會付出代價。此外，美軍加強在南海的“航行自由”行動，從軍事上挑戰中國在南海的主權及海洋權益主張，對中國進行武力干預和施壓。

六、美國要求台灣當局放棄南海歷史性權利的主張，不得在南海問題上與大陸合作。

美國才是南海仲裁案幕後的“仲裁員”，而菲律賓只不過是為美國戰略利益服務的走卒。中國看透了這一點，所以中國抵制南海仲裁及其裁決這場“披着法律外衣的政治鬧劇”。

The Western Pacific has become an important arena for the US execution of its “return to the Asia-Pacific” strategy, and the maritime disputes between China and its neighbors have been used by the US as an excuse to pursue this strategy. The moves taken by the US, such as meddling in South China Sea affairs and frequently creating troubles, are aimed to contain China, dominate the Asia-Pacific, and defend its primacy in the world. As the US sees it, with the US-Japan Security Treaty serving as the bedrock of the post-WWII order in East Asia, and the establishment of the US-ROK military alliance, the situation in Northeast Asia and the East China Sea already features a good balance, and there is no need to strive for rebalance. The political, economic, military and diplomatic efforts made by the US to promote the “Asia-Pacific rebalance strategy” are mainly targeted at the South China Sea and Southeast Asia. Through the prism of this background, it is not hard to find out who is the real force behind the South China Sea arbitration case.

1. The US instigated the Philippines to unilaterally initiate the arbitration in an attempt to launch a legal and public opinion war against China.

Before the Philippines suddenly initiated the arbitration, it had all along maintained consultation with China on the South China Sea issue under the framework of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea and a number of bilateral mechanisms. In 2010, the US announced its decision to “return to the Asia-Pacific”, claiming that it has “national interests” in the South China Sea, and that it will continue to keep a strong and permanent presence in Asia and use its power to build a rules-based order in the Asia-Pacific. It expressed its support for the Philippines in resolving the South China Sea disputes through international arbitration, asking the latter not to be afraid of any reprisal, including intimidation or coercion. Since the initiation of the arbitration by the Philippines in 2013, the US has been urging China to accept and participate in the arbitration, and launched an international publicity campaign to support the Philippines and tarnish China's reputation.

2. The US has provided multifaceted assistance to the Philippines in support of its arbitration activities.

The US has given advisory, financial, legal, military, diplomatic and a host of other support to the Philippines as the latter challenges China. To begin with, the South China Sea arbitration legal team of the Philippines is mainly composed of American lawyers, and the “down payment” for the arbitration was earmarked by some American institutions. The US has offered relevant military backing and assistance to the Philippines. On the basis of the US-Philippines military alliance treaty and a series of military cooperation agreements, in April 2014, the US and the Philippines signed the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, and in March 2016, the two countries reached an agreement that allows for rotational deployment of US forces at five Philippine military bases. The lion's share of the 425 million dollar offered by the US under the Southeast Asia Security Initiative will be used for the Philippines' maritime capacity building. The US has also promised to provide military protection to the Philippines under the Mutual Defense Treaty if conflicts arise between China and the Philippines. The increasing US military support has emboldened the Philippines in its arrogant stance toward China.

3. The US has manipulated and put pressure on the Arbitral Tribunal in the South China Sea arbitration.

On Dec 5, 2014, the US State Department published Limits in the Seas — China: Maritime Claims in the South China Sea, which denies the legality of China's dotted line and its relevant claims in the South China Sea. The US intention to support the Philippines' arbitration submissions and exert influence and pressure on the Arbitral Tribunal is obvious. To support the arbitration process, the US sent military vessels and planes to intrude into the 12-nautical mile sea area of the relevant islands and reefs in the South China Sea to carry out the so-called “freedom of navigation” operations. As the Arbitral Tribunal is about to render its final award, the US calls on its “regional and global partners” to take measures to bolster the rules-based order in the Asia-Pacific.

4. The US has drawn its allies and other countries over to put pressure on China over the South China Sea issue and the South China Sea arbitration.

The US instigates its allies and “partners” to challenge China on the pretext of the South China Sea arbitration. The US initiated “joint patrols” by India, Japan, Australia and the US in the Asia-Pacific and the establishment of an informal strategic alliance; it proposed that ASEAN countries build South China Sea joint patrol force, and said its Seventh Fleet would offer support in this regard; it prodded Japan to extend its air patrol to the South China Sea; it completely lifted the ban on arms sales to Vietnam, and trained Vietnamese coast guards to improve the country's maritime operation capability. In addition, the US has tried to persuade and pressure countries across the world to support the Philippines and oppose, or at least not expressly support China's position on the South China Sea issue.

5. The US has taken various measures to force China to implement the South China Sea arbitration award.

On China's position of not accepting and not participating in the South China Sea arbitration, the US says that it is the view of the US and its allies that international arbitration must be respected, and China will have to pay a price if it refuses to do so. Besides, the US has stepped up its “freedom of navigation” operations in the South China Sea in an attempt to challenge through military means China's claims to sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in the South China Sea, so as to intervene in China's internal affairs and put pressure on China.

6. The US has urged the Taiwan authorities to give up its claims to historic rights in the South China Sea and not to cooperate with the mainland over the South China Sea issue.

To sum up, the US is the real arbitrator in the South China Sea arbitration case, and the Philippines is being used by the US merely as a pawn to serve the strategic interests of the US. It is precisely because we have seen through this that we choose to resist the South China Sea arbitration — a political farce under the cloak of law — and reject any award that comes out of the arbitration.

Authors:

Wang Hanling, Director of the Center for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, and research fellow of China South China Sea Research Coordination and Innovation Center.

Zheng Yaran, post-graduate from the Department of Law of the Graduate School of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.