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China Sends Ships, Planes over Disputed Seas to Show Strength after COVID-19
Outbreak

Ralph Jennings

   TAIPEI, TAIWAN - China is asserting itself in disputed waters around
   Asia this month to look strong after containing the world's first
   coronavirus outbreak as the rest of the world grapples with the disease
   now.

   The Communist leadership seeks an image boost among its own population
   that's beleaguered by shutdowns and lockdowns -- measures to stop the
   spread of COVID-19. The deadly respiratory disease virus was discovered
   in central China in December and led to about 81,000 cases there.

   Chinese officials hope to appear strong too around the world against
   growing resentment that China spawned the coronavirus that's now
   hurting economic activity in India, Western Europe, the United States
   and parts of Southeast Asia, scholars say. China is making up as well
   for any military exercises they may have put on hold to fight the
   virus, some believe.

   "Priority for China is to protect their national interests, so to step
   up or to implement military exercises is inevitable," said Andrew Yang,
   secretary-general of the Chinese Council of Advanced Policy Studies
   think tank in Taiwan.

   South China Sea and Taiwan

   Chinese military aircraft carried out an anti-submarine drill this
   month in the contested South China Sea, apparently in response to
   patrols by U.S. warships, media in China report.

   The U.S. guided-missile destroyer USS McCampbell passed through part of
   the sea March 10 in the U.S. Navy's second mission this year to
   advocate that the waterway remains open internationally rather than
   coming under Chinese control.

   In a less expected move, China held[1]joint exercisesMarch 15 with
   Cambodia despite risk of offending Vietnam and other Southeast Asian
   countries that resent China's military presence in the region.

   A Chinese fishing boat "militia" that has pestered the Philippines in
   the sea's disputed Spratly Islands never went home in response to the
   coronavirus outbreak, said Carl Thayer, Southeast Asia-specialized
   emeritus professor at the University of New South Wales in Australia.

References

   1. https://www.voanews.com/east-asia-pacific/shrugging-covid-19-fears-china-cambodia-hold-joint-military-drills

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