China taking on more conflict around the worldConfrontations from Himalayan valleys to tropical islands are seen as part of President Xi Jinping's nationalist drive to return a once-weak China to its rightful place of dominance in the world. BEIJING: From remote Himalayan valleys to small tropical islands and tense Western capitals, an increasingly assertive China is taking on conflicts around the world like never before as the United States retreats. China has in recent years also stepped up its claims to most of the South China Sea by building artificial islands and establishing a heavy military presence. - Diplomatic tensions -China has also seen relations with a range of Western nations plummet, as it has adopted increasingly strident diplomatic tactics. But, after Western nations failed to control their own outbreaks, China went on the offensive, with Australia one of its main targets.

Source: Bangkok Post July 03, 2020 10:47 UTC