One of the sources said a Vietnamese vessel was also tagging the West Capella. The United States has accused China of taking advantage of the distraction of the coronavirus pandemic to advance its presence in the South China Sea. On Wednesday, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said the Haiyang Dizhi 8 was conducting normal activities and accused US officials of smearing Beijing. The Haiyang Dizhi 8 was 324 km (200 miles) off the Malaysian coast, within Malaysia's exclusive economic zone, Marine Traffic data showed. China claims almost all of the energy-rich South China Sea, also a major trade route each year.

Source: bd News24 April 17, 2020 15:11 UTC