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Miami Herald
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
US Anti-Ship Missiles Challenge Nearby Chinese Aircraft Carrier
The United States deployed anti-ship missiles on a strategic Philippine island during a drill while a Chinese aircraft carrier staged a show of force against the allies in the nearby waters. Newsweek has contacted the Chinese Defense Ministry for comment by email. The Philippines, a U.S. ally that has territorial disputes with China over the South China Sea, forms the first island chain with Taiwan and Japan under a U.S. containment strategy that seeks to restrict China's military access to the Pacific Ocean using Washington-aligned territories. The Chinese military-which has the world's largest navy by hull count-has been expanding its reach and presence beyond the first island chain. The U.S. is arming its regional allies and partners with ship-sinking missiles to counter China's navy. The Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) was deployed for the first time during a bilateral exercise, code-named Balikatan 2025, on Batan Island in the northern Philippines on April 26, the U.S. Marine Corps announced on Sunday. The NMESIS is a ground-based launcher. It consists of a remote-operated vehicle equipped with two Naval Strike Missile containers and is designed for facilitating sea denial and sea control by striking enemy ships from a distance of more than 100 nautical miles (115 miles). Batan Island is north of the Luzon Strait, which is an important waterway for China's navy to accomplish a breakthrough of the first island chain. The strait is situated between Taiwan and the Philippines, linking the South China Sea and the Philippine Sea. The American anti-ship weapon held a simulated fire mission during the deployment. "We're not here practicing a war plan. We're practicing for the defense of the Philippines," U.S. Marine Corps Lieutenant General Michael Cederholm told reporters. Washington and Manila signed a mutual defense treaty in 1951, which says an attack on either side in the Pacific region would prompt the partnered countries to take action. This includes attacks on Philippine military, public vessels or aircraft in the South China Sea. Meanwhile, the Japanese Defense Ministry reported that a Chinese naval strike group, which was led by the aircraft carrier CNS Shandong, sailed toward the South China Sea on Friday, following its deployment to east of Luzon, an island in the northern Philippines, on Wednesday. The Shandong and three escorting warships transited the Luzon Strait as they were spotted 323 miles south of Yonaguni Island in southwestern Japan, a map by Newsweek shows. During its three-day deployment in the Philippine Sea, the Shandong's carrier-based fighter jets and helicopters conducted 70 and 60 takeoffs and landings, respectively, Tokyo added. U.S. Marine Corps Lieutenant General Michael Cederholm said: "We don't broadcast when we're going in, when we're coming out and how long things are going to stay. All I'll say is we're here at the invitation and with the support of the Philippine government." Philippine Brigadier General Michael Logico said: "A peaceful region can only be maintained through a proper balance of strength between opposing forces until such time that … both countries decide that it's not going to be worth it to fight over this area." It remains to be seen whether the NMESIS will stay behind following the conclusion of the exercise. Another American missile system, the U.S. Army Mid-Range Capability, has been stationed in the Philippines since April 2024, which was deployed for drills at first. Related Articles Americans Share Best Financial Advice They Ever Received-It's Eye-OpeningUber Could Be Halted For Millions of AmericansMap Shows US and Chinese Aircraft Carriers in Pacific This WeekWhat's at Stake for the U.S. if India and Pakistan go to War? 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.


Newsweek
28-04-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
US Anti-Ship Missiles Challenge Nearby Chinese Aircraft Carrier
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The United States deployed anti-ship missiles on a strategic Philippine island during a drill while a Chinese aircraft carrier staged a show of force against the allies in the nearby waters. Newsweek has contacted the Chinese Defense Ministry for comment by email. Why It Matters The Philippines, a U.S. ally that has territorial disputes with China over the South China Sea, forms the first island chain with Taiwan and Japan under a U.S. containment strategy that seeks to restrict China's military access to the Pacific Ocean using Washington-aligned territories. The Chinese military—which has the world's largest navy by hull count—has been expanding its reach and presence beyond the first island chain. The U.S. is arming its regional allies and partners with ship-sinking missiles to counter China's navy. What To Know The Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) was deployed for the first time during a bilateral exercise, code-named Balikatan 2025, on Batan Island in the northern Philippines on April 26, the U.S. Marine Corps announced on Sunday. A United States Marine Corps Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System staged on Batan Island in the Philippines on April 26. A United States Marine Corps Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System staged on Batan Island in the Philippines on April 26. Chief Warrant Officer 2 Trent Randolph/U.S. Marine Corps The NMESIS is a ground-based launcher. It consists of a remote-operated vehicle equipped with two Naval Strike Missile containers and is designed for facilitating sea denial and sea control by striking enemy ships from a distance of more than 100 nautical miles (115 miles). Batan Island is north of the Luzon Strait, which is an important waterway for China's navy to accomplish a breakthrough of the first island chain. The strait is situated between Taiwan and the Philippines, linking the South China Sea and the Philippine Sea. The American anti-ship weapon held a simulated fire mission during the deployment. "We're not here practicing a war plan. We're practicing for the defense of the Philippines," U.S. Marine Corps Lieutenant General Michael Cederholm told reporters. Washington and Manila signed a mutual defense treaty in 1951, which says an attack on either side in the Pacific region would prompt the partnered countries to take action. This includes attacks on Philippine military, public vessels or aircraft in the South China Sea. Meanwhile, the Japanese Defense Ministry reported that a Chinese naval strike group, which was led by the aircraft carrier CNS Shandong, sailed toward the South China Sea on Friday, following its deployment to east of Luzon, an island in the northern Philippines, on Wednesday. The Shandong and three escorting warships transited the Luzon Strait as they were spotted 323 miles south of Yonaguni Island in southwestern Japan, a map by Newsweek shows. During its three-day deployment in the Philippine Sea, the Shandong's carrier-based fighter jets and helicopters conducted 70 and 60 takeoffs and landings, respectively, Tokyo added. What People Are Saying U.S. Marine Corps Lieutenant General Michael Cederholm said: "We don't broadcast when we're going in, when we're coming out and how long things are going to stay. All I'll say is we're here at the invitation and with the support of the Philippine government." Philippine Brigadier General Michael Logico said: "A peaceful region can only be maintained through a proper balance of strength between opposing forces until such time that … both countries decide that it's not going to be worth it to fight over this area." What Happens Next It remains to be seen whether the NMESIS will stay behind following the conclusion of the exercise. Another American missile system, the U.S. Army Mid-Range Capability, has been stationed in the Philippines since April 2024, which was deployed for drills at first.
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First Post
27-04-2025
- Politics
- First Post
US deploys anti-ship missiles in Philippines, close to Taiwan, amid Chinese belligerence
While both Washington and Manila have denied that the exercises are aimed at any specific country, the messaging— and the locations chosen— appear to leave little doubt. China's government has fiercely condemned the drills, accusing the US of provocation in the region read more The United States military has, for the first time, deployed a sophisticated anti-ship missile launcher to Batan Island in the Philippines in a high-profile show of force just across the sea from Taiwan and amid rising tensions with China. The backdrop to these drills is one of intensifying military manoeuvres across East Asia. Earlier this month, China staged large-scale exercises encircling Taiwan, featuring naval, air, ground, and rocket forces, in what Beijing said was a warning against any moves towards formal independence by the island's democratically elected government. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Messaging via military exercise Marines airlifted the Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) to the remote northern tip of the Philippine archipelago on Saturday (April 26), as US and Filipino forces separately conducted live-fire exercises in Zambales province, targeting mock hostile drones in drills facing the contested South China Sea. The activities form part of the annual Balikatan military exercises, which this year have been marked by a striking escalation in scale and realism. About 9,000 US troops, 5,000 Filipino personnel, and contingents from Australia, Japan, and other countries are taking part. The exercises are being held across multiple locations, several of them near strategic flashpoints that have become increasingly contested between China and the United States. Speaking to a small group of journalists invited to witness the deployment, US Marine Lt. Gen. Michael Cederholm stressed the defensive nature of the operations. 'We're not here practising a war plan,' Cederholm said. 'We're practicing for the defence of the Philippines.' Cederholm was careful not to specify whether the anti-ship missile system would be withdrawn after the conclusion of Balikatan on May 9, noting only: 'We don't broadcast when we're going in, when we're coming out and how long things are going to stay…All I'll say is we're here at the invitation and with the support of the Philippine government.' China on alert While both Washington and Manila have denied that the exercises are aimed at any specific country, the messaging— and the locations chosen— appear to leave little doubt. China's government has fiercely condemned the drills, accusing the US of provocation in the region. Over the weekend, an aircraft carrier group belonging to China's People's Liberation Army Navy was spotted passing near Batanes, just days after the US landed its NMESIS battery there, strategically positioned near the Bashi Channel, a critical maritime corridor south of Taiwan vital for global trade and military operations. The ambiguity over the duration of the deployment of anti-ship missiles is likely to further aggravate Beijing, which had already reacted sharply to the US Army's earlier deployment of a mid-range missile system in the Philippines last year. That battery, capable of firing Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles and Standard Missile-6 interceptors, was quietly repositioned earlier this year from Laoag City Airport to a coastal location facing the Scarborough Shoal— an area where tensions between China and the Philippines have escalated in recent months. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from agencies