Amid Covid crisis, China steps up bullying in South and East China Sea

Chinese ships have intruded in waters near the Japanese-controlled islets seven times this year, most recently last Friday when four coast guard vessels sailed through the area for about 90 minutes before leaving. China's move is seen as a distraction by the international community which is grappling with the pandemic with nearly 2,00,000 lives lost and the death toll not appearing to be stopping soon.

Hong Kong: While the world continues to firefight COVID-19 pandemic, China has stepped up its bullying activities in the South and the East China Sea as an offensive to cover up its role in the spread of the Pandemic.

China's move is seen as a distraction by the international community which is grappling with the pandemic with nearly 2,00,000 lives lost and the death toll not appearing to be stopping soon. At a video conference with ASEAN leaders on April 23, 2020, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo pointed at Chinese 'bullying' tactics in the South China Sea that is distracting the world from current efforts to deal with the pandemic. He also raised concerns over a scientific report showing that Beijing's upstream dam operations have unilaterally altered flows of the Mekong river causing droughts in Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia. This is yet another bullying tactic timed to cover up the spread of the COVID 19.

According to informed sources, Japanese foreign minister Toshimitsu Motegi recently lodged a protest against China for sending its ships into Japanese territorial waters near the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea.

Chinese ships have intruded in waters near the Japanese-controlled islets seven times this year, most recently last Friday when four coast guard vessels sailed through the area for about 90 minutes before leaving. China calls the islets Diaoyu and claims them as its own.

Furthermore, the Philippines has also filed two diplomatic protests against China over violations of international law and Philippine sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea. Protests were filed with the Chinese Embassy in Manila and concerned China's alleged harassment of a Philippine Navy ship and its unilateral establishment of two districts that cover Philippine territories in the West Philippine Sea.

With tensions building up in the region a US warship has sailed through the sensitive Taiwan Strait for the second time in a month, Taiwanese and US sources said, amid heightened tensions between Taiwan and China. A Chinese aircraft carrier has also passed near the island. Two weeks ago the USS Barry also sailed through the strait, on the same day that Chinese fighter jets drilled in waters close to the island nation according to Western Sources.

China is in the dock for concealing facts on COVID which originated from Wuhan, Beijing's bullying is only flaring up tensions. Western Sources here in Hong Kong are categorically saying that China is now going on the offensive to cover up for the terrible destruction it has caused the World by delaying notification on the outbreak of the Pandemic.

(With inputs from ANI)