自8月29日晚间菲律宾海军“德尔•皮拉尔”号巡逻舰搁浅半月礁，至9月3日菲方成功将其拖离，中菲关系和南海局势可谓经历一次有惊无险的波折。特别是联想到1999年的“仁爱礁事件”，以及2012年“黄岩岛事件”，不论是中菲两国政府还是国际社会似乎都为两国能否避免重蹈覆辙，管控好海上危机，维持两国自2016年下半年以来持续提升的双边关系捏了一把冷汗。同时，从美国、日本、澳大利亚等国的舆论看，域外国家对中国将借提供搜救公共产品之机扩大对这一海域的掌控心存忌惮。庆幸的事，本次事件在中菲双方政府的有效管控之下并未发酵蔓延，而是得到了妥善处理。

但这一事件侧面反映了南海形势向好发展的态势仍很脆弱。在可预见的一段时间内，中国当前与菲律宾、越南、马来西亚等有关声索国之间的缓和关系仍可能因类似事件而发生转变。特别是岛礁搁浅的海上事件，因涉及岛礁控制、领土主权和海域管辖权主张等敏感议题，势必将激起相关国家和国内民族主义情绪，而国家之间的关系亦将因此而面临重大危机，南海形势也必会再起波澜。

此次事件之所以能以各方都乐见和接受的方式得到处理，在很大程度上应归因于两个方面：中菲关系的良好势头当然是首要原因，但菲方有能力自行处置也是重要原因。倘若菲方不具备单独处置这一事件的能力，而又拒绝中方的援助，那么该事件的处理恐怕就不会那么顺利。因此，应该庆幸的是从技术上来说，此次搜救尚在菲方处置能力范围之内。但是，中国与东盟国家不应将本地区的和平稳定寄托于一时的幸运，而应想到倘若中菲或中马、中越因此类事件而陷入“搜救困局”，即无法自救但又不同意中方提供援助，那么彼时双边关系有可能因为这种不测事态而遭遇“滑坡”。

有鉴于此，寻求长久之道以应对无意或有意的南沙岛礁及附近争议海域的偶发事故，是确保当前地区局势向好发展的当务之急。而建立南海联合搜救长效机制是有效防止此一类不测事态发酵恶化为政治外交危机的最为务实、可行和相对高效的不二选择。

从必要性上讲，南海作为各类海难频发、易发地带，开展海上联合搜救合作刻不容缓。南海海底水流和地形异常复杂，岛礁星罗棋布，特别是此次事故发生地半月礁附近海域素有“危险地带”之称，搁浅事件也频繁发生。2012年中国就曾在半月礁搁浅，半月礁附近的五方礁也是事故多发地带。与此同时，南海也是台风多发地带。但恰恰这一带海域又处于南海主航道的关键位置。因此，建立一套行之有效的南海地区海上搜救机制对于这一航道而言日益紧迫。

从可操作性上看，一方面开展南海海上联合搜救合作是2002年达成的《南海各方行为宣言》（以下简称《宣言》）的重要内容，也是沿岸国家基于国际法规则的共同义务。《宣言》的第六条表明，各方在全面和永久解决争议之前，可探讨开展海上航行和交通安全、搜寻与救助的合作。因此，开展南海海上联合搜救合作完全符合《宣言》精神，同时也是《1979年国际海上搜寻救助公约》等国际法规则赋予沿海国的基本义务。另一方面，作为南海最大的沿岸国，中国事实上已经具备了组织和牵头开展海上联合搜救的能力。特别是中国南海岛礁建设目前已初具规模，既具备了为菲、越、马等国提供搜救船舶维修、补给和医疗等援助的条件，更拥有协作开展海上搜救的足够能力。从这个层面讲，南海海上联合搜救合作具备了足够的“硬能力”、“硬基础”、“硬条件”。

因此，中国与东盟有关国家在庆幸此次菲舰搁浅事件未蔓延之余，还应深刻反思背后的“惊险”，并从中汲取经验教训，以便找寻可能的解决方案。笔者认为，将这一类海上不测事故引发的危机处理固定下来，进而形成一种稳定的长效机制，这才是开放、稳定、公正的南海地区秩序构建过程的真正内涵。中国与东盟十国可以抓住“南海行为准则”案文磋商的时机，探讨形成海上联合搜救合作的规范、制度和程序，将这一机制作为“准则”来塑造秩序的重要内容，并予以确认。

在具体操作中，可从几方面着手：一是在现有海上紧急事态外交高官热线平台之外，建立海上搜救部门间的双、多边信息共享平台和热线沟通网络，从而形成海上紧急不测事故的相互通报及开展联合搜救的外交与职能部门间的协调制度。二是在一线搜救部门间建立协作程序与制度，包括沿海国船只进入他国的法律制度与程序、人员救助等，并有必要成立技术专家联合委员会，以便为复杂、专业的海上搜救提供技术支撑。三是建立常态化的南海搜救联合演练，并开展船舶维修、人员训练、物资补给、技术升级等资源共享的长效合作。

本质上来讲，南海海上搜救不仅仅涉及人道救援和沿岸国国际义务，更重要的是涉及有关领土主权和海域管辖权主张这一高敏感的政治议题。因此，综合两个层面的深刻意涵，建立南海海上联合搜救长效机制既是沿岸国履行国际法赋予的维护南海航行与交通安全的义务，以及自身确保南海航道安全的需要，同时也是有效管控海上复杂纷争和潜在冲突危机，构建开放、稳定、公正的地区秩序的深层次需求。如是而言，中国与东盟国家大可抓住当前“准则”案文磋商契机，着力构建本地区搜救合作机制。

On September 3, The Philippines successfully moved the BRP Gregorio del Pilar from the Banyue Shoal, after the vessel went aground there four days earlier, ending what could have become a flare-up of tension in China-Philippines relations and the situation in the South China Sea. The two countries are no stranger to close encounters like this, notably the encounters at the Ren'ai reef in 1999 and Huangyen Island in 2012. The two countries and the world at large sighed with relief when the latest issue was resolved uneventfully, leaving the momentum in bilateral ties since 2016 intact. That said, countries like the US, Japan, and Australia remain wary that China may use the salvage operation or other activities to provide public goods to bolster its control of the South China Sea area. It is reassuring news that China and the Philippines have shown a deft hand and resolved the situation smoothly.

The episode reveals the tenuous state of affairs in the South China Sea. The détente between claimants like China, the Philippines, and Malaysia may be tipped in another direction due to unforeseen events, and tensions may flare up from conflicting claims over sovereignty and maritime jurisdiction.

The smooth resolution of the recent episode between China and the Philippines is attributable to two factors. First and foremost, the two countries have maintained good relations. Second, the Philippines exercised independence in solving this issue. That said, no country should consign the outcome of future encounters to fortune. Rather, they should institute a mechanism to prepare for the eventuality of a “salvage dilemma” between stakeholders, say between China and the Philippines, or Malaysia, or Vietnam, to guard against setbacks to bilateral ties.

A long term mechanism is needed to resolve potential maritime territorial disputes in the South China Sea. Specifically, a search-and-rescue mechanism is the most feasible and practical solution.

The South China Sea is a typhoon-ridden and accident-prone area due to its unique underwater shoal-littered topography and sea currents, in particular the Banyue and Wufang Shoals. Another accident took place on the Banyue Shoal in 2012. This treacherous area happens to host the key sea routes, making the establishment of a search and rescue mechanism all the more urgent.

Maritime search and rescue operations are underpinned by the Declaration on Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) when the document was released back in 2002. Article VI of the DOC provided that all Parties would engage in cooperation regarding navigation safety, and search and rescue before a permanent mechanism is developed. In addition, such maritime activities are also endorsed in the 1979 International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue. As a major littoral country in the South China Sea area, China is well equipped to significantly improve the hard infrastructure for maritime rescue operations and provide maintenance, supplies, and medical assistance in rescue operations to countries such as the Philippines, Vietnam and Malaysia, or better still, to engage in joint operations with these countries should the circumstance arise.

The Banyue Shoal incident is a timely reminder for countries in the South China Sea area on the need for a long term mechanism for maritime search and rescue cooperation, which will also set the foundation for a truly open, stable and just framework for the area. China and the ASEAN bloc should discuss this on the sidelines of the Code of Conduct discussions.

With respect to the substance of such a mechanism, it could feature the following. First, in addition to the existing emergency hotline between senior diplomats, an intelligence sharing and hotline channel should be instituted among responsible agencies in respective countries, so that diplomatic and rescue operation agencies could share the same platform to communicate when an emergency happens. Second, detailed procedures and MOs should be instituted, regarding the passage of ships on sovereign waters or personnel assistance, and so on, and expert panels or taskforces could also be contemplated to enable sophisticated rescue operations. Third, regular drills should be conducted in the form of a long term mechanism covering a wide range of activities, such as ship maintenance, personnel training, supplies replenishment, and technical upgrades or resource sharing.

Search and rescue operations in the South China Sea have a bearing on humanitarian operations and international obligations for countries in the area, but more importantly, it concerns highly sensitive matters such as sovereignty and maritime jurisdiction. Hence, a search and rescue mechanism is called for. The ongoing discussion on the Code of Conduct in the area offers a good opportunity for this.