Japan's annual defence review accuses China of pushing its territorial claims amid the coronavirus pandemic and suspects Beijing of spreading propaganda and disinformation as it provides medical aid to nations fighting COVID-19.&nbsp;

China "is continuing to attempt to alter the status quo in the East China Sea and the South China Sea," Japan said in the defence white paper approved by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's government on Tuesday.&nbsp;

The white paper described "relentless" intrusions in waters around a group of islets claimed by both nations in the East China Sea, known as the Senkaku in Japan and the Diaoyu in China.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/new-alliance-against-huawei-five-eyes-with-d-10-nations-including-india-south-korea-japan-313060" hreflang="en">New alliance against Huawei: 'Five eyes' with 'D-10' nations including India, South Korea &amp; Japan</a>

In the South China Sea, it said Beijing was asserting territorial claims by establishing administrative districts around disputed islands, that forced countries distracted by the coronavirus outbreak to respond.

Japan's criticism of China echoes similar comments made by the United States, and comes as tension in the region increases as Beijing and Washington conduct separate military drills in the resource-rich South China Sea and as relations between the world's two largest economies deteriorated.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday rejected China's disputed claims to offshore resources in most of the South China Sea, saying they were "completely unlawful".

Beijing insists its intentions in the waterway, through which around $3 trillion of global trade passes each year, are peaceful.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/india-news/as-china-eyes-multi-billion-dollar-iran-deal-indias-chabahar-port-may-lose-relevance-313054" hreflang="en">As China eyes multi-billion dollar Iran deal, India's Chabahar port may lose relevance</a>

Japan sees China as a longer-term and more serious threat than nuclear-armed North Korea. Beijing now spends four times as much as Tokyo on defence as it builds a large modern military.&nbsp;

Japan's defence review also claimed China appeared to be responsible for "propaganda" and "disinformation" amid "social uncertainties and confusion" caused by the coronavirus outbreak.&nbsp;

Such disinformation included online claims that the coronavirus was brought to China by a U.S. military member, or that Chinese herbal remedies could treat COVID-19, a defence ministry official said at a briefing.

Other threats faced by Japan include North Korea's ongoing development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles as well as a resurgence of military activity by Russia in the skies and waters in Japan, at times in joint drills with China, the defence review said.

Japan's annual defence review accuses China of pushing its territorial claims amid the coronavirus pandemic and suspects Beijing of spreading propaganda and disinformation as it provides medical aid to nations fighting COVID-19.

Japan's annual defence review accuses China of pushing its territorial claims amid the coronavirus pandemic and suspects Beijing of spreading propaganda and disinformation as it provides medical aid to nations fighting COVID-19. China "is continuing to attempt to alter the status quo in the East China Sea and the South China Sea," Japan said in the defence white paper approved by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's government on Tuesday. The white paper described "relentless" intrusions in waters around a group of islets claimed by both nations in the East China Sea, known as the Senkaku in Japan and the Diaoyu in China. Also read: New alliance against Huawei: 'Five eyes' with 'D-10' nations including India, South Korea & Japan In the South China Sea, it said Beijing was asserting territorial claims by establishing administrative districts around disputed islands, that forced countries distracted by the coronavirus outbreak to respond. Japan's criticism of China echoes similar comments made by the United States, and comes as tension in the region increases as Beijing and Washington conduct separate military drills in the resource-rich South China Sea and as relations between the world's two largest economies deteriorated. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday rejected China's disputed claims to offshore resources in most of the South China Sea, saying they were "completely unlawful". Beijing insists its intentions in the waterway, through which around $3 trillion of global trade passes each year, are peaceful. Also read: As China eyes multi-billion dollar Iran deal, India's Chabahar port may lose relevance Japan sees China as a longer-term and more serious threat than nuclear-armed North Korea. Beijing now spends four times as much as Tokyo on defence as it builds a large modern military. Japan's defence review also claimed China appeared to be responsible for "propaganda" and "disinformation" amid "social uncertainties and confusion" caused by the coronavirus outbreak. Such disinformation included online claims that the coronavirus was brought to China by a U.S. military member, or that Chinese herbal remedies could treat COVID-19, a defence ministry official said at a briefing. Other threats faced by Japan include North Korea's ongoing development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles as well as a resurgence of military activity by Russia in the skies and waters in Japan, at times in joint drills with China, the defence review said.

Japan accuses China of pushing territorial claims during coronavirus pandemic

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday slammed China's 'Orwellian' censorship moves in Hong Kong. ''With the ink barely dry on the draconian National Security Law, Hong Kong authorities are now removing books from libraries, banning political slogans, and requiring censorship in schools,'' he said in a tweet.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday slammed China's 'Orwellian' censorship moves in Hong Kong. ''With the ink barely dry on the draconian National Security Law, Hong Kong authorities are now removing books from libraries, banning political slogans, and requiring censorship in schools,'' he said in a tweet. Also read: 'Hidden language': Hong Kongers get creative against security law ''The US condemns these Orwellian assaults on the rights and freedoms of the Hong Kong people,'' he added. With the ink barely dry on the draconian National Security Law, HK authorities are now removing books from libraries, banning political slogans, and requiring censorship in schools. The U.S. condemns these Orwellian assaults on the rights and freedoms of the Hong Kong people. — Secretary Pompeo (@SecPompeo) July 7, 2020 × Hours after China passed the draconian national security law on the finance hub, books written by prominent Hong Kong democracy activists have started disappearing from the city's libraries in the aftermath of China imposing a draconian national security law on the finance hub. Beijing's new national security law is the most radical shift in how the semi-autonomous city is run since it was handed back to China by Britain in 1997. Among the authors whose titles are no longer available are Joshua Wong, one of the city's most prominent young activists, and Tanya Chan, a well known pro-democracy lawmaker. Searches on the public library website showed at least three titles by Wong, Chan and local scholar Chin Wan are no longer available for lending at any of dozens of outlets across the city. Also read: Democracy books disappear from Hong Kong libraries The local government recently said that the popular protest slogan "Liberate Hong Kong, the revolution of our times" would now be deemed illegal. For some, the phrase represents genuine aspirations to split Hong Kong from China, a red line for Beijing, but for many others, it is a more general cry for democracy and an expression of rising frustration with Chinese rule.

Mike Pompeo slams China's 'Orwellian' censorship moves in Hong Kong

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Japan accuses China of pushing territorial claims during coronavirus pandemic

Mike Pompeo slams China's 'Orwellian' censorship moves in Hong Kong