US Aircraft Carrier Holds ‘Warfighting' Drills on China's Doorstep
A United States nuclear-powered aircraft carrier was conducting operations in the contested South China Sea, the Navy said, to showcase its ability to maintain warfighting advantages.
Newsweek has contacted the Chinese defense and foreign ministries for comment by email.
A naval strike group led by USS Nimitz-the oldest U.S. aircraft carrier in active service-has been operating in the South China Sea, where sovereignty claims by several countries overlap, since late May as part of its regularly scheduled deployment to the western Pacific.
Meanwhile, China has deployed both of its two operational aircraft carriers to waters beyond the First Island Chain-an island defense line formed by Japan, Taiwan, and the Philippines as part of a U.S. maritime containment strategy intended to restrict China's naval activities.
The Nimitz Carrier Strike Group conducted "maritime security operations"-including flight operations, maritime strike exercises, and tactical training between surface and air units-in the South China Sea on Wednesday, according to the aircraft carrier's public affairs officer.
"Carrier operations in the South China Sea are part of the U.S. Navy's routine presence in the Indo-Pacific," the press release stated. U.S. warships frequently operate in the South China Sea to maintain freedom of navigation, challenging excessive maritime claims by regional countries.
Rear Admiral Fred Goldhammer, commander of the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group, said the deployment aims to build proficiency and conduct flight operations supporting the "full spectrum of operations," adding that the unit operates "wherever international law allows."
The Nimitz's deployment in the South China Sea follows a warning from U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth about China's threats in the Indo-Pacific region. He said the East Asian power seeks nothing less than hegemony and is increasingly willing to resort to force.
In response to Hegseth's remarks on the South China Sea, the Chinese Foreign Ministry accused the U.S. of being the "primary factor" undermining peace and stability, while claiming that there has never been any problem with freedom of navigation and overflight.
Rear Admiral Fred Goldhammer, commander of the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group, said in a press release on Wednesday: "We are doing more than ever to strengthen peace, stability, and deterrence across the Indo-Pacific."
The public affairs officer of USS Nimitz said in a press release on Wednesday: "The operations include both day and night flight evolutions. These activities support maritime security, enhance interoperability with regional partners, and maintain the U.S. Navy's ability to project power across the theater."
An unnamed spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on June 1: "China has always been committed to working with countries concerned to properly handle differences through dialogue and consultation, while safeguarding China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in accordance with laws and regulations."
It remains to be seen whether the Nimitz will head toward the broader western Pacific after concluding its operations in the South China Sea to counter the two Chinese aircraft carriers.
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