The USS Nimitz and the USS Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Groups are conducting dual carrier operations in the Philippine Sea and South China Sea, “said Lt. Joe Jeiley, spokesman for the Seventh Fleet.” Operating two carrier strike groups in the Philippine Sea and South China Sea provides advanced training opportunities for our forces and provides combatant commanders with significant operational flexibility should those forces be called upon in response to regional situations.
“The presence of two carriers does not respond to any political or global event. This advanced capability is one of the many ways that the United States Navy promotes security, stability and prosperity throughout the Indo-Pacific.”
“The United States agrees with our friends in Southeast Asia: The military exercise of the People’s Republic of China in the disputed waters of the South China Sea is highly provocative. We oppose Beijing’s illegal claims. Period” Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tweeted Friday.
The Pentagon said in a statement on Thursday that “China’s military exercises are the latest in a long series of actions by China to enforce illegal maritime claims and to harm its Southeast Asian neighbors in the South China Sea.”
China, Vietnam and Taiwan claim the Paracel Islands, and the United States has long said that Beijing has militarized the islands in the South China Sea by deploying military equipment and building military facilities.
Authorities said the United States military exercises will not take place near any of the disputed islands in the region.
While the US Navy routinely operates in the area, the operation of two nuclear powered aircraft carriers, the USS Nimitz and the USS Ronald Reagan, represents a significant display of force and occurs amid tensions between Washington and Beijing in various areas. , including Hong Kong.
This story has been updated with additional information.
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