Yesterday Donald Trump was accused of using immigration tactics to mask the troubles of the Coronavirus in the United States or is he just trying to pull off his old immigration policies.

But something much more significant looming in the background is the standoff between the United States and China in the South Sea of China. And the general public is not paying attention to the military tensions, and no doubt the Pentagon is focused on this strategic gateway to one-third of global shipments.

The Spratly Islands, located off the coast of the Philippines and Malaysia. This region has been claimed by both of these nations as well as China, Vietnam, Brunei, and Taiwan.

After the sinking of the Vietnamese boat, the State Department urged China to remain focused on supporting international efforts to combat the global pandemic and to stop exploiting the distraction or vulnerability of other states to expand its unlawful claims in the South China Sea.

We are seriously concerned by reports of the PRC’s sinking of a Vietnamese fishing vessel in the vicinity of the Paracel Islands in the South China Sea.

China has opened two new research stations on artificial reefs it has built on maritime turf claimed by the Philippines and other neighbors. The reefs are also equipped with defense silos and military-grade runways, and below is one Woody the Chinese call Yongxing Island airport equipped to handle Russian-Chinese Flanker-G.

Since January, when the coronavirus epidemic began to surge, the Chinese government and Coast Guard ships, along with maritime militias, have been plying contested waters in the South China Sea, tangling with regional maritime enforcement agencies and harassing fishermen.

There is no doubt in the back of Donald Trump’s mind is Chinese military prowess, the socio-Chinese ideologies and their establishment of an airbase very close to the shores of Vietnam and the Philippines.

Chinese ships have intruded in waters near the Japanese-controlled islets seven times this year, most recently last Friday when four coast guard vessels sailed through the area for about 90 minutes before leaving. China calls the islets Diaoyu and claims them as its own. Let’s see what is coming next because this is boiling Chinese magma.