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Newsweek
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
US and China's Aircraft Carriers Show Force in Contested Waters
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 and China have deployed aircraft carriers in the South China Sea—where the sovereignty claims of several countries overlap—as they compete for naval dominance. USS George Washington was patrolling the U.S. Seventh Fleet's area of operations—which refers to the western Pacific and Indian Oceans—with a strike group, the U.S. Navy said. Meanwhile, CNS Shandong and three other Chinese warships were visiting Hong Kong—a special administrative region of China located in the northern part of the South China Sea. Why It Matters The Chinese navy—the world's largest by hull count—is expanding China's military presence beyond its surrounding waters, including through the deployment of two aircraft carriers—the Shandong and CNS Liaoning—in the broader western Pacific in June. The U.S. Navy operates the largest fleet of aircraft carriers in the world, with 11 vessels in service. The U.S. military regularly conducts operations in the South China Sea—where China's territorial claims cover most of the waters—to assert freedom of navigation. What To Know Photos released by the U.S. Navy show the George Washington conducting flight operations with its aircraft in the South China Sea on Tuesday. The aircraft carrier—homeported in Japan—was operating near Japan's southwestern islands in the Philippine Sea the previous day. According to Philippine media, the U.S. aircraft carrier was operating in the West Philippine Sea—a geographic term used by the Philippines to refer to the portion of the South China Sea that lies within the Southeast Asian country's 230-mile-wide exclusive economic zone. Embarked media from the Philippines observe flight operations on the USS George Washington in the South China Sea on July 2, 2025. Embarked media from the Philippines observe flight operations on the USS George Washington in the South China Sea on July 2, 2025. Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Geoffrey L. Ottinger/U.S. Navy The George Washington is the second U.S. aircraft carrier to operate in the South China Sea in recent months, following its sister ship, USS Nimitz, which conducted "maritime security operations" in the region in early June before being redeployed toward the Middle East. While the George Washington was sailing near the Philippines, a Chinese naval group led by the Shandong arrived in Hong Kong on Thursday for a five-day visit. Several fighter jets and helicopters were seen parked on the flight deck as the Shandong sailed into the city's harbor. The Chinese aircraft carrier's visit comes as Hong Kong—a former British colony—marks the 28th anniversary of its return to China. Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee described the Chinese naval visit as "particularly inspiring." It was not immediately clear whether the Shandong would conduct any operations in the South China Sea following its visit. The aircraft carrier is homeported in Sanya, on China's southern island of Hainan—also located in the northern part of the South China Sea. The Chinese aircraft carrier CNS Shandong sails into Hong Kong on July 3, 2025. The Chinese aircraft carrier CNS Shandong sails into Hong Kong on July 3, 2025. Chan Long Hei/AP Photo What People Are Saying The U.S. Navy said: "George Washington is the U.S. Navy's premier forward-deployed aircraft carrier, a long-standing symbol of the United States' commitment to maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific region, while operating alongside allies and partners across the U.S. Navy's largest numbered fleet." John Lee, the chief executive of Hong Kong, said at a welcoming ceremony on Thursday: "The visit of the Shandong warship formation to Hong Kong will allow Hong Kong citizens to experience first-hand the grandeur and sophistication of the country's modern warships and better understand the achievements of national defense modernization." What Happens Next It remains to be seen how long the George Washington will remain deployed in the South China Sea. It is currently the only U.S. aircraft carrier positioned to help counter China.
Miami Herald
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Map Shows US ‘Special Mission' Ship in Waters Near China
A specialized United States naval vessel capable of collecting critical underwater data was recently tracked operating in the contested South China Sea, according to a Newsweek map. The U.S. Seventh Fleet, which maintains America's naval presence in the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans, confirmed to Newsweek that USNS Victorious, an ocean surveillance ship, was operating in the South China Sea as part of what it called "routine operations." Newsweek has also contacted the Chinese Defense Ministry for comment by email. Territorial disputes in the energy-rich South China Sea remain unresolved, with overlapping sovereignty claims by several countries-including China and the Philippines-frequently leading to confrontations and clashes at sea between maritime forces of rival claimants. Strategically, the South China Sea serves as a vital gateway for naval deployments between the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Both the U.S. and China maintain a persistent naval presence in the region-including the deployment of aircraft carriers-as they jostle for dominance. Using open-source ship-tracking data, a Newsweek map shows that the Victorious has been operating in the South China Sea since at least May 22, when it was spotted in the Luzon Strait-a waterway connecting the South China Sea and the Philippine Sea-heading south. The map shows the ocean surveillance ship, equipped with a Surveillance Towed-Array Sensor System (SURTASS) for collecting undersea acoustic data in support of anti-submarine warfare, was last tracked underway in the central South China Sea on Tuesday. A Chinese think tank, the South China Sea Strategic Situation Probing Initiative, claimed that the Victorious operated "intensively" near the Spratly Islands and Scarborough Shoal. China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Brunei have all laid claim to the Spratly Islands, while Scarborough Shoal-a fishing ground located within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone-has been under Chinese control since 2012 after a standoff. The Victorious' mission remains unclear. The ship was spotted transiting southward through the Uraga Channel-located south of Tokyo, Japan-in early May. It is also one of the so-called "Special Mission" ships that support U.S. military and other government operations. The presence of a U.S. ocean surveillance ship, tasked with detecting and tracking undersea threats, coincides with China's stationing of its nuclear-powered submarines at a base facing the South China Sea, which includes an underground facility designed to protect them. The U.S. Seventh Fleet said in a statement to Newsweek: "Every day the U.S. [Seventh] Fleet operates to protect security, freedom, and prosperity for the U.S. and our allies and partners." An unnamed spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on June 1: "On the South China Sea, there has never been any problem with regard to freedom of navigation and overflight there … It is the U.S. who is the primary factor that is hurting the peace and stability in the South China Sea." China continues to enhance its presence in the South China Sea by deploying naval and Coast Guard vessels, asserting its sovereignty claims in the disputed waters. Related Articles Satellite Photo Shows US Fighters and Bombers at Key Air BaseIran Threatens Israel's Nuclear Sites as Trump Blocks Strike PlanChina Releases Photos of Aircraft Carriers Beyond First Island ChainHow to Watch United States vs Switzerland: Live Stream Men's International Friendly, TV Channel 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Newsweek
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Map Shows US 'Special Mission' Ship in Waters Near China
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. A specialized United States naval vessel capable of collecting critical underwater data was recently tracked operating in the contested South China Sea, according to a Newsweek map. The U.S. Seventh Fleet, which maintains America's naval presence in the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans, confirmed to Newsweek that USNS Victorious, an ocean surveillance ship, was operating in the South China Sea as part of what it called "routine operations." Newsweek has also contacted the Chinese Defense Ministry for comment by email. Why It Matters Territorial disputes in the energy-rich South China Sea remain unresolved, with overlapping sovereignty claims by several countries—including China and the Philippines—frequently leading to confrontations and clashes at sea between maritime forces of rival claimants. Strategically, the South China Sea serves as a vital gateway for naval deployments between the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Both the U.S. and China maintain a persistent naval presence in the region—including the deployment of aircraft carriers—as they jostle for dominance. What To Know Using open-source ship-tracking data, a Newsweek map shows that the Victorious has been operating in the South China Sea since at least May 22, when it was spotted in the Luzon Strait—a waterway connecting the South China Sea and the Philippine Sea—heading south. The map shows the ocean surveillance ship, equipped with a Surveillance Towed-Array Sensor System (SURTASS) for collecting undersea acoustic data in support of anti-submarine warfare, was last tracked underway in the central South China Sea on Tuesday. A Chinese think tank, the South China Sea Strategic Situation Probing Initiative, claimed that the Victorious operated "intensively" near the Spratly Islands and Scarborough Shoal. China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Brunei have all laid claim to the Spratly Islands, while Scarborough Shoal—a fishing ground located within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone—has been under Chinese control since 2012 after a standoff. The Victorious' mission remains unclear. The ship was spotted transiting southward through the Uraga Channel—located south of Tokyo, Japan—in early May. It is also one of the so-called "Special Mission" ships that support U.S. military and other government operations. The presence of a U.S. ocean surveillance ship, tasked with detecting and tracking undersea threats, coincides with China's stationing of its nuclear-powered submarines at a base facing the South China Sea, which includes an underground facility designed to protect them. What People Are Saying The U.S. Seventh Fleet said in a statement to Newsweek: "Every day the U.S. [Seventh] Fleet operates to protect security, freedom, and prosperity for the U.S. and our allies and partners." An unnamed spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on June 1: "On the South China Sea, there has never been any problem with regard to freedom of navigation and overflight there … It is the U.S. who is the primary factor that is hurting the peace and stability in the South China Sea." What Happens Next China continues to enhance its presence in the South China Sea by deploying naval and Coast Guard vessels, asserting its sovereignty claims in the disputed waters.
Newsweek
02-06-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
US Warship Challenged Beijing's South China Sea Claims, Navy Says
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. A United States destroyer recently conducted a freedom of navigation operation in the South China Sea, challenging claims by China and other countries, the Navy told Newsweek. The U.S. naval operation took place near the Spratly Islands, a cluster of islands claimed by China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Brunei. The U.S. Navy said the operation was specifically intended to challenge restrictions on passage by China, Taiwan and Vietnam. Newsweek also reached out to the Chinese, Taiwanese, and Vietnamese defense ministries outside of normal business hours on Monday by email for comment. Why It Matters The U.S. military has been maintaining its presence in the South China Sea—where China's sovereignty claims overlap with those of other countries—to uphold lawful use of the sea and international airspace, including the rights of freedom of navigation and overflight. The news of the recent U.S. freedom of navigation operation comes amid reports of a Chinese bomber deployment to a militarized island outpost in the Paracel Islands—located north of the Spratly Islands—and the return of an American aircraft carrier to the South China Sea. What To Know The U.S. Seventh Fleet—which maintains America's naval presence in the western Pacific and Indian Oceans—confirmed to Newsweek that on May 12, the destroyer USS Dewey asserted navigational rights and freedoms in the South China Sea near the Spratly Islands. "This freedom of navigation operation upheld the rights, freedoms, and lawful uses of the sea recognized by international law by challenging restrictions on innocent passage imposed by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam," the U.S. Seventh Fleet said in an email on Monday. According to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, "ships of all states, whether coastal or land-locked, enjoy the right of innocent passage through [a] territorial sea." However, such passage must be conducted in a "continuous and expeditious" manner. The United States Navy destroyer USS Dewey conducts routine operations while transiting in the South China Sea on May 12, 2025. The United States Navy destroyer USS Dewey conducts routine operations while transiting in the South China Sea on May 12, 2025. Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Devin Monroe/U.S. Navy The Dewey—part of the U.S. Seventh Fleet's principal surface force—left the "excessive claim area" and continued transiting in the South China Sea after completing its operation. Meanwhile, a set of photos released by the U.S. Navy shows the USS Benfold, the Dewey's sister ship, operating at an undisclosed location in the South China Sea on May 12. The Benfold is also assigned to the U.S. Seventh Fleet as part of Destroyer Squadron 15. According to the caption, one of the photos shows an electronics technician with a Chinese name translating "incoming bridge-to-bridge voice communications" in the pilothouse of the Benfold—suggesting the American warship may have encountered the Chinese navy. U.S. military vessels and aircraft routinely interact with foreign forces while operating throughout the Indo-Pacific region, the U.S. Seventh Fleet told Newsweek, adding that all interactions were "consistent with international norms and did not impact the operation." United States Navy electronics technician 2nd Class Haoyu Zhao translates incoming bridge-to-bridge voice communications in the pilothouse of the destroyer USS Benfold while underway in the South China Sea on May 12, 2025. United States Navy electronics technician 2nd Class Haoyu Zhao translates incoming bridge-to-bridge voice communications in the pilothouse of the destroyer USS Benfold while underway in the South China Sea on May 12, 2025. Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Monica Walker/U.S. Navy What People Are Saying The Pentagon said in its 2024 Freedom of Navigation Report: "Excessive maritime claims are inconsistent with international law as reflected in the Law of the Sea Convention…Unlawful maritime claims pose a threat to global mobility and commerce, as well as the legal foundation of the rules-based international order. If left unchallenged, excessive maritime claims could limit the rights and freedoms enjoyed by every nation." The Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Sunday: "On the South China Sea, there has never been any problem with regard to freedom of navigation and overflight there. 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." What Happens Next It remains to be seen how China, which has long claimed sovereignty over most of the South China Sea, will respond militarily to the recent U.S. Navy freedom of navigation operation.
Newsweek
27-05-2025
- General
- Newsweek
US Aircraft Carrier Returns to South China Sea
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 nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Nimitz has been tracked returning to the contested South China Sea, where China's sovereignty claims cover most of its waters. With regard to the Nimitz's operations in the South China Sea, the Japan-based U.S. Seventh Fleet—which maintains America's naval presence in the Western Pacific Ocean—previously told Newsweek that the warship "provides presence and combat-ready forces to the theater." Newsweek has reached out to the Chinese Defense Ministry for comment by email. Why It Matters The Nimitz—the oldest U.S. aircraft carrier in active service—has been on deployment to the Western Pacific Ocean since departing from its home port in Washington in late March. This is likely its final overseas deployment before a scheduled retirement in May next year. The carrier arrived in the South China Sea in early May and operated there for two weeks before sailing into the Strait of Malacca—a waterway linking the South China Sea with the Indian Ocean—raising speculation about a possible deployment to the Middle East. The Nimitz's return to the South China Sea comes as China continues to assert its territorial claims in the region, often leading to confrontations and clashes with neighboring maritime forces, including the Philippines—a major U.S. ally protected by a mutual defense treaty. What To Know Following a call at Malaysia's Port Klang—near the country's capital, Kuala Lumpur—the Nimitz and its escorting destroyer, USS Curtis Wilbur, departed the port on Saturday afternoon local time, heading back to the Strait of Malacca. The aircraft carrier hosted Malaysian naval officers during its stay, photos released by the U.S. Navy show. It was the second port call of the Nimitz's deployment, following a stopover in Guam—America's westernmost territory in the Pacific Ocean—in mid-April. Open-source ship-tracking data from the online service MarineTraffic shows the carrier sailed southward to Singapore after its departure. The last trackable position places the warship in the waters northeast of Singapore in the South China Sea as of Monday. While the Nimitz returned to the South China Sea for operations, its sister ship, the Japan-based USS George Washington, was also underway on Sunday in waters near the Northeast Asian country, marking a dual U.S. aircraft carrier deployment in the Western Pacific Ocean. In addition to the Nimitz and the George Washington, the U.S. amphibious assault ship USS America—another Japan-homeported U.S. warship—was dispatched to the Philippine Sea last week. It is also capable of carrying fighter jets allowing it to effectively serve as an aircraft carrier. The United States Navy aircraft carrier USS Nimitz pulls into Port Klang in Malaysia on May 21, 2025. The United States Navy aircraft carrier USS Nimitz pulls into Port Klang in Malaysia on May 21, 2025. Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Emma Burgess/U.S. Navy What People Are Saying The U.S. Seventh Fleet previously told Newsweek: "Assets assigned to U.S. [Seventh] Fleet operate alongside allies and partners every day to deter aggression and maintain security in the Indo-Pacific." A U.S. Navy photo caption regarding the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz's visit to Malaysia reads: "Nimitz is conducting a port call in the U.S. [Seventh] Fleet area of operations on a scheduled deployment, demonstrating the U.S. Navy's unwavering commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific." What Happens Next It remains to be seen whether the Nimitz, the George Washington, and the America will assemble somewhere in the Western Pacific Ocean for joint operations in the coming weeks.
