台湾に近い中国・平潭島 軍事演習のごう音に驚く観光客

【ＡＦＰ＝時事】台湾海峡に面した中国・平潭島は、きらめく海とサンゴ礁が人気の観光地で、夏には多くの人が訪れる。だが４日には、中国軍によるミサイル発射のごう音が鳴り響き、観光客は驚きの声を上げた。（写真は平潭島で、飛翔（ひしょう）体からの煙を見上げる観光客）
　中国はナンシー・ペロシ米下院議長の台湾訪問を深刻な挑発行為と見なし、対抗措置として台湾周辺で前例のない軍事演習を開始した。
　平潭島と台湾の距離は約１２５キロで、中国内で台湾に最も近い。気温が３８度に達した４日にも、島の東端には大勢の観光客が訪れていた。
　同日午後、数キロ離れた軍事施設からミサイルが発射されると、客は一斉に爆音がした方へ振り向いた。
　ある女性は、「ちょっと心配」だと話し、同行者に帰ろうと促していた。
　ＡＦＰが取材した男子学生は「突然大きな音がして驚いた」とし、「怖いかって？ 全然」と笑顔で答えた。
　４日に始まった演習は、７日正午（日本時間午後１時）まで続く予定。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2022/08/05-12:59）

The hum of holiday vibes and the selfie-snapping is interrupted by the roar of explosions as projectiles shoot up into the sky, prompting oohs and aahs from the surprised tourists.
Visitors to Pingtan island, a popular destination with resplendent sea and reefs that attracts thousands of visitors every summer, have been granted a front row seat to China's latest fury at Taiwan.
The unprecedented military exercises are a response to this week's visit to the self-ruled island by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi -- seen by Beijing as a major provocation.
The closest point in mainland China to Taiwan, about 125 kilometres away across the strait, Pingtan lies on the frontlines.
Tourists in shorts, t-shirts and caps defy the 38 degree Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit) temperature and crowd on the eastern tip of the island.
But the afternoon beach fun is swiftly punctuated by the boom of missile fire across the Taiwan Strait, sending tourists' heads spinning.
Their cameras swiftly shift from documenting family fun to the latest geopolitical missive between Beijing and Taipei, facing the azure sky to capture the projectiles soaring from military installations located only a few kilometres away.
It's a little worrying all that... come on, let's go, a woman carrying a parasol to protect herself from the sun told her friends as other anxious tourists broke camp.
Further on, another group of tourists arrive to find out what all the commotion is about.
We suddenly heard a huge noise. It surprised us at the time! a student who came with friends and who introduces himself as Jack, tells AFP.
If we were scared? Not at all, says the smiling young man.
The Chinese military manoeuvres, which are taking place in six maritime areas around Taiwan, began Thursday noon (0400 GMT) and will continue until Sunday noon (0400 GMT).