In the coronavirus fog, tussling over Taiwan goes under the radar

But Beijing, Taipei and Washington have all sent messages that they’re not about to let down their military guard, observers say

Missile drills, airspace incursions and armed forces exercises signal that each is on alert to any attempt to change the stalemate

3-MIN READ3-MIN

The Chinese military conducts an anti-submarine drill over the South China Sea in early March. Photo: Navy.81.cn

Published: 8:00am, 27 Mar 2020Updated: 1:13pm, 27 Mar 2020

With the world focused on the battle against the coronavirus pandemic and the US and China hurling accusations over the disease’s spread, combat manoeuvres in and around Taiwan have flown under the radar.

Beijing considers Taiwan a wayward province that must be returned to the mainland fold and has made clear it will do that by force if necessary.

With the coronavirus killing thousands and crippling healthcare systems around the world, authorities around the globe are occupied, including in the United States, the main arms supplier to Taiwan.

But the US seemingly sent a couple of messages recently that it was still on alert for an inkling in Beijing to use the pandemic as the opportunity in a crisis to try to take back control of Taiwan, according to observers. Other analysts say Beijing is equally concerned that Taiwan not exploit the pandemic to serve its drive for independence.

The US sent its first signal last week when it ran an unusual missile test drill in the nearby Philippine Sea. It then sent the USS McCampbell guided-missile destroyer steaming through the Taiwan Strait on Wednesday, according to a tweet from the US Pacific Fleet.

Earlier, China’s People’s Liberation Army buzzed Taiwan with jet fighters which prompted Taipei to scramble its own in response.