US Navy to mail two plane carriers and several warships to South China Sea

The USS Nimitz and USS Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Groups are conducting twin provider functions in the Philippine Sea and South China Sea,” claimed Lt. Joe Jeiley, a spokesman for the Seventh Fleet. “Functioning two carrier strike groups in the Philippine Sea and South China Sea gives innovative education alternatives for our forces and gives combatant commanders with significant operational overall flexibility should these forces be identified as upon in reaction to regional cases.

“The presence of two carriers is not in reaction to any political or earth gatherings. This state-of-the-art capability is 1 of lots of strategies the U.S. Navy encourages protection, balance, and prosperity through the Indo-Pacific.”

The workout is prolonged prepared but comes as China conducts navy drills of its very own in the spot, near the contested Paracel Islands, workouts that have been criticized by the US and other international locations. The Wall Road Journal initially claimed the carriers’ participation in the coming work out.

“The us agrees with our Southeast Asian good friends: The PRC’s (People’s Republic of China) armed service work out in disputed waters of the South China Sea is remarkably provocative. We oppose Beijing’s illegal claims. Period of time,” Secretary of Point out Mike Pompeo tweeted on Friday.

The Pentagon explained in a statement Thursday that China’s “army workouts are the most up-to-date in a prolonged string of PRC steps to assert unlawful maritime promises and drawback its Southeast Asian neighbors in the South China Sea.”

The Paracel Islands are claimed by China, Vietnam and Taiwan, and the US has very long claimed Beijing has militarized the islands in the South China Sea by means of the deployment of armed forces components and development of armed service facilities.

The US Navy from time to time difficulties Beijing’s promises to the islands by conducting so-referred to as “Flexibility of Navigation Operations,” most not long ago in Could.

Officials explained the US armed service exercise routines will not be done close to any of the contested islands in the location.

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Though the US Navy routinely operates in the space, the operation of two nuclear-powered aircraft carriers — the USS Nimitz and USS Ronald Reagan — represents a significant show of force and arrives amid heightened tensions between Washington and Beijing over a variety of locations, which includes Hong Kong.

This tale has been current with added information and facts.