2017-09-22
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For a Hong Kong company managing a small fleet of cargo ships, Union Link International hoists an exotic array of flags, from China and Tanzania to the Pacific island nations of Niue and Palau.
联昇国际(Union Link International HK)只是一家管理着一小批货船的香港公司,却悬挂着一系列外籍旗帜,包括从中国、坦桑尼亚到太平洋岛国纽埃和帕劳的国旗。
But one stands out: a five-pointed red star on broad horizontal stripes of red and dark blue. It is North Korea’s national banner and the vessel that flies it, the Dolphin 26, is just one in a vast network helping Pyongyang survive the international sanctions that target its rapidly advancing weapons programme.
但有一面国旗引人注目:红色和深蓝横条纹上一颗红色的五角星。这是朝鲜的国旗,悬挂这面国旗的“Dolphin 26”号只是帮助朝鲜在国际制裁中生存下来的大规模网络中的一环(国际制裁针对的是朝鲜快速发展的武器计划)。
The UN Security Council on Monday passed its toughest measures yet against North Korea and reiterated an agreement to identify and inspect vessels suspected of transporting proscribed goods from the country. But the opacity of the web of ships, people and businesses perpetuating such trade flows suggests the international community faces a huge challenge if its clampdown is to succeed.
联合国安理会(UN Security Council)周一通过了迄今最为严厉的对朝制裁措施,并重申同意对涉嫌运输来自该国的禁运物资的船只进行识别和检查。但维持这种贸易流动的船只、人员和企业网络极不透明,这意味着如果国际社会想要成功实施禁运,将面临巨大挑战。
Hundreds of the vessels involved are owned and managed by companies based in Hong Kong, where it is not illegal to do business with North Korea. Some of the companies are operated by North Koreans, corporate records show, although most are backed by Chinese nationals.
其中涉及的数百艘船只由一些总部位于香港的公司所有和管理,在香港,与朝鲜做生意并不违法。公司注册信息显示,其中一些公司由朝鲜人经营,不过多数还是由中国公民经营。
“These networks have to be important to North Korea because the North Korean economy has been able to do something no Soviet economy was ever able to do before, and that’s stabilise the balance of trade and the currency,” says Nicholas Eberstadt of the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think-tank.
保守派智库美国企业研究所(American Enterprise Institute)的尼古拉斯?埃伯施塔特(Nicholas Eberstadt)表示:“这些网络肯定对朝鲜很重要,因为朝鲜经济能够做到稳定贸易平衡和汇率,这件事从没有一个苏维埃经济体能够做到。”
Washington-based research group C4ADS has detailed the characteristics of shipping networks important to North Korea. Of a sample of the 248 companies it identifies as managing or operating businesses connected to North Korea, 160 are registered in Hong Kong.
总部位于华盛顿的研究机构C4ADS详细描述了这些对朝鲜非常重要的航运网络的特征。该机构选取了248家它认为管理或经营与朝鲜相关业务的公司,其中有160家在香港注册。
One C4ADS report notes that the companies employ “a variety of schemes to disguise beneficial ownership including using flags of convenience for ships, establishing shell and front companies to register their holdings?.?.?.?and using multiple layers of intermediaries to conduct business”.
C4ADS的一份报告指出,这些公司利用“多种安排来掩盖其收益权归属,包括在船上悬挂方便旗、设立壳公司和幌子公司来控股……还利用多层中介开展业务”。
The Dolphin 26’s rusty hull has seen better days. Its decks were corroded enough to draw the attention of inspectors in February, according to a Chinese port’s disciplinary report. The vessel was last spotted in mid-May in China’s northern port of Tianjin, ship-tracking service MarineTraffic shows.
船身锈迹斑斑的“Dolphin 26”号早已不在鼎盛状态了。根据中国一港口的执勤报告,这艘船的甲板腐蚀严重,以至在今年2月引起了检查人员的注意。船只跟踪服务机构MarineTraffic的记录显示,这艘船上次被发现是在5月中旬,地点是中国天津港。
There is no evidence to suggest it has been used to break any laws. But it shares many of the characteristics of ships that have.
目前没有证据表明,这艘船被用于从事违法活动。但它的许多特征与从事违法活动的船只相同。
The Dolphin 26 has changed its registered owner and manager six times and its name three times in the past eight years, while its flag has been switched four times in five years, according to maritime database Equasis.
海洋数据库Equasis的信息显示,过去8年,“Dolphin 26”号注册的所有者和管理者更换了6次,船名更改了3次;船上悬挂的旗帜在5年内更换过4次。
By swapping flags and shifting ownership between shell companies, experts say it is much more difficult to identify patterns and track the activities of people behind the shipping companies. Many of the businesses share Hong Kong addresses with the secretarial companies paid to represent them, a set-up commonly used by shell companies with no real assets in the territory.
专家表示,通过更换旗帜和改变壳公司所有权,发现规律以及追寻这些航运公司背后人物的活动踪迹就难上加难了。很多公司与有偿代表它们的秘书公司(secretarial companies)共用香港地址,这是在香港没有实际资产的壳公司普遍采取的做法。
The other ships managed by Union Link show similar patterns. The Oriental Lady has changed flag six times — twice to North Korea’s — since 2003. The Zhi Hui has used a North Korean flag four times since 2006.
联昇国际旗下的其他船只显示出类似的规律。自2003年以来,“Oriental Lady”号更换了6次旗帜,有两次更换为朝鲜国旗。自2006年以来,“Zhi Hui”号有4次悬挂朝鲜国旗。
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