U.S. Navy
Two U.S. aircraft carrier strike groups conducted dual operations in the South China Sea on Tuesday, the latest in a series of U.S. military maneuvers in those turbulent waters.
In a sign of growing international pushback against China’s expansive claims and assertive behavior, French Defense Minister Florence Parly also confirmed Monday that a French nuclear attack submarine and an accompanying support ship had recently completed a patrol in the South China Sea.
The operations point to the expanding role of non-claimant states in the South China Sea, which is contested by China, the Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, Brunei, and Malaysia.
(AFP / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
This comes as two US carrier groups conducted military exercises in the disputed South China, locally referred to as the West Philippine Sea, in what is seen as show force in the area which China has been claiming.
In a telephone conversation with Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Wednesday, Feb. 10,, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III cited the importance of upholding the Philippines-US alliance through the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT), and the Agreement Regarding the Treatment of US Armed Forces Visiting the Philippines (VFA).
“The Secretaries covered the security situation in the West Philippine Sea/South China Sea (WPS/SCS), particularly on the capability upgrades of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP),” the DND said in a statement.
U.S. Navy photo / Elliot Schaudt
Two U.S. aircraft carrier strike groups conducted dual operations in the South China Sea on Tuesday, the latest in a series of U.S. military maneuvers in those turbulent waters.
In a sign of growing international pushback against China’s expansive claims and assertive behavior, French Defense Minister Florence Parly confirmed Monday that a French nuclear attack submarine and an accompanying support ship recently completed a patrol in the South China Sea.
The operations point to the expanding role of non-claimant states in the South China Sea, which is contested by China, the Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, Brunei and Malaysia.
The mission was the first dual-carrier operation to take place in the South China Sea since last July.
The presence of US forces in the contested waters also comes just days after the USS John S McCain destroyer sailed near to the Paracel Islands.
The US navy said the vessels were conducting a “freedom of navigation operation” in order to maintain peace in the region.
Most notably it was also the first time a US operation had taken place in the waterways since Joe Biden was inaugurated as US President.
The Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group was deployed to the South China Sea (Image: GETTY)
Two U.S. carrier groups conduct exercises in South China Sea By Se Young Lee
FILE PHOTO: The USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) is pictured as it enters the port in Da Nang, Vietnam
(Reuters) – Two U.S. carrier groups conducted joint exercises in the South China Sea on Tuesday, days after a U.S. warship sailed near Chinese-controlled islands in the disputed waters, as China denounced the United States for damaging peace and stability.
The Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group and the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group “conducted a multitude of exercises aimed at increasing interoperability between assets as well as command and control capabilities”, the U.S. Navy said, marking the first dual carrier operations in the busy waterway since July 2020.