Based on a Nikkei article, this piece examines how Chinese government vessels continued to intensify their activity in the contiguous zone around the Senkaku Islands in Okinawa even amid the spread of the novel coronavirus. From January to March 2020, the number of vessels rose 57 percent year on year, showing China’s intent to keep demonstrating its presence in the East China Sea despite the pandemic.

April 6, 2020
A Japanese government official says, “China intends to show externally that it is not affected by the novel coronavirus, and to continue demonstrating its presence in these waters.”
The following is from an article published in today’s Nikkei Shimbun under the title “Navigation by Chinese Government Vessels Up by 50 Percent.”
The number of Chinese government vessels that sailed through the contiguous zone around the Senkaku Islands in Okinawa Prefecture totaled 289 from January to March, an increase of 57 percent compared with the same period of the previous year.
Even after the spread of the novel coronavirus infection in China, active operations have continued.
The visit to Japan by President Xi Jinping, which had been scheduled for April, has been postponed, and this may further affect the momentum toward easing tensions.
According to figures compiled by the Japan Coast Guard, the number of Chinese government vessels confirmed to have entered the contiguous zone was 98 in January, 90 in February, and 101 in March.
On the 5th as well, two vessels of the China Coast Guard sailed in the area.
Their navigation has now been confirmed for 31 consecutive days.
The pace is exceeding that of 2019, when the annual number reached 1,097 vessels, the highest on record.
Since January, the novel coronavirus infection has spread in China.
On December 31, 2019, the city of Wuhan announced that it had confirmed patients with pneumonia of unknown cause, and afterward the infection spread throughout China beyond Wuhan.
Although the increase in new infections has eased for the moment, the cumulative number of infected people exceeds 80,000.
Even while the Chinese authorities are concentrating on infectious-disease measures, their activities in the waters around the Senkaku Islands have not decreased.
A Japanese government official says, “China intends to show externally that it is not affected by the novel coronavirus, and to continue demonstrating its presence in these waters.”
When Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited China in December 2019 and met with Xi, he told him, “There can be no true improvement in relations without stability in the East China Sea.”
The Japanese side had regarded Xi’s state visit to Japan, scheduled for April, as a good opportunity for easing tensions.
With the visit postponed, there are voices within the government expressing concern that China’s active operations will continue.