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| Kim Jong Un opening a factory on May Day |
By our Asian
affairs correspondent
US
imperialism stepped up its destabilising efforts in Asia last week, spreading
baseless rumours about the health of Democratic Korean leader Kim Jong Un and
launching new provocations against People’s China around the Xisha islands in
the South China Sea. Some believe that the war lobby, the cross party ‘deep
state’ that represents the most aggressive sections of the US ruling class, is
using the Trump administration’s disarray over the coronavirus crisis to pursue
their old Cold War plan for total US hegemony on both sides of the Pacific.
In Washington, President Trump dismissed
reports that Kim Jong Un was gravely ill as “fake news”. He said he could not
“tell you exactly” the status of Kim’s health, though he did have a “very good
idea” about his condition. “But I can’t talk about it now,” Trump said. “I just
wish him well.”
The Democratic Korean leader’s reported
absence at the 15th April birthday celebrations of the great Korean
communist leader Kim Il Sung fired speculation in south Korea that Kim Jong Un
had contracted COVID-19 or had suffered a crippling heart attack. But all these
bogus stories clearly came from reactionary circles within south Korean
intelligence who ultimately report to the US army of occupation and the CIA.
This week Kim Jong Un opened a fertiser factory on May Day and sent a message of
gratitude to workers building tourist facilities in the coastal town of Wonsan.
He’s also sent greetings to Syrian President Bashar Assad, Cuban President
Miguel Díaz-Canel and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.
South Korean intelligence has a long
track-record of spreading lies and disinformation about the north. In 1986 they
claimed that Kim Il Sung had been shot dead. A few hours later Kim Il Sung was
publicly seen at Pyongyang airport greeting a Mongolian delegation.
Meanwhile, the Chinese navy drove a US
warship out of Chinese territorial waters off the Xisha islands, telling them
they’d be better off focusing on dealing with COVID-19 prevention and control
at home rather than destabilising regional security and peace overseas. A similar
illegal incursion in Chinese waters off the Xisha islands happened in March,
which was denounced in Beijing as hegemonic behaviour.
Chinese war-planes and naval forces
followed the US guided missile destroyer USS {Barry} when it trespassed into
China's territorial waters off the Xisha Islands on Tuesday, said Colonel Li
Huamin. They followed and monitored its course, identified the ship, warned and
expelled it, Li said.
The USA’s provocative actions seriously
violated international law and related norms, seriously violated Chinese
sovereignty and security interests, and intentionally increased regional
security risks, Li said.
“We urge the US side to focus on the
epidemic prevention and control on its homeland, contribute more to the
international fight against the pandemic and immediately stop military actions
against regional security, peace and stability,” Li said.
Chinese troops will resolutely fulfil
their duty, safeguard national sovereignty and security as well as peace and
stability in the South China Sea, Li said.
A Chinese military expert who requested
anonymity told the media that the USA was eager to show that it still had the
military capability even amidst multiple COVID-19 outbreaks inside its
military, but this has further exposed the USA’s own fear that it is losing
presence in the region.
China was ready to defend itself against
US military provocations even in its prime, and expelling a destroyer is a
warning to the USA, showing the Chinese military is capable of and determined
in safeguarding sovereignty and territorial integrity, the expert said.
