But its two naval patrols this week in the South China Sea, gunboat-diplomacy assertions of the “freedom of navigation” to keep the international shipping lines open in international waters, have helped raise tensions in the disputed seas. Last week Beijing announced plans to formally rename and create new administrations for swathes of the sea region. It claims almost the entire South China Sea as its sovereign territory, and has aggressively asserted its stake in recent years. A Malaysian oil exploration ship has also been harassed by a small flotilla of Chinese ships. China has refused to participate in arbitration or to accept an international court ruling that its claims have no basis in international law.

Source: The Irish Times May 01, 2020 10:18 UTC