US to deploy five aircraft carriers to Western Pacific to show strength to China

The USS George Washington was the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to serve in Japan from 2008 to 2015 until being removed by Ronald Reagan for mid-life refueling and repairs to its two nuclear reactors, upgrades, and modernization. I went on a mission. .

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In addition to the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan, on Monday the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson and USS Theodore Roosevelt were stationed in Guam and Hawaii, respectively, and are expected to remain in the Western Pacific until April and July.

Last month, the Theodore Roosevelt and Carl Vinson Strike Groups participated in a multi-deck event with Japan in the Philippine Sea that included enhanced maritime communications operations, air combat operations, and deck-to-deck flight operations.

According to the U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet, the exercise was aimed at “enhancing joint operations and combat readiness at sea.”

“Working together to address common maritime security challenges further increases our capabilities,” said Rear Adm. Christopher Alexander, commander of Carrier Strike Group 9 on the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt.

“The ability to consistently conduct such complex operations demonstrates the U.S. Navy’s inherent flexibility to choose anytime, anywhere, giving us and our allies flexible options for deterrence and defense,” he said. ” he said.

Similarly, in January, the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson conducted naval exercises with South Korea and Japan in the East China Sea in response to North Korea’s intermediate-range ballistic missile launch.

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The trilateral exercise consisted of joint navigation, advanced maritime communications operations, maritime interdiction operations training, air combat training, personnel exchange, and integration.

“Aircraft carriers are one of the most visible assets in our military. Deploying multiple carriers to a region sends a very clear signal to adversaries,” said the Washington-based company. said Brian Hart, a researcher at the China Power Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank.

“Given the Ukraine war, the Middle East conflict, and the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, the U.S. military wants to send a signal that it can handle these situations while remaining focused on its priority theater of war, the Indo-Pacific.”

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Benjamin Barton, an associate professor at the University of Nottingham’s Malaysia campus, said the deployment was aimed at demonstrating the United States’ focus on the Indo-Pacific despite conflicts in Europe and the Middle East.

“There appear to be several reasons why this is an issue. The first is obviously to provide reassurance to our allies in the Indo-Pacific and send a strong signal of deterrence to our rivals as well,” Barton said. he said.

“[It is also] Although US foreign policy is currently consumed by two strategic conflicts occurring outside of Asia, Russia’s aggression in Ukraine and the situation in Gaza, I would like to state that the Indo-Pacific remains at the forefront of strategic concerns. . ”

“Even if bilateral relations warm, containing China in the region remains a top priority,” Barton added.

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Colin Koh, a senior fellow at Singapore’s S. Rajaratnam School of International Relations, echoed Barton’s view, pointing out that tensions not only over Taiwan, but also in the South China Sea and the Korean Peninsula, have not eased.

“The surge in aircraft carrier deployments and a series of intense theater military engagements with close allies like Japan were aimed at reassuring regional allies and partners and deterring adversaries like China and North Korea. “It seems so,” he said.

There has been no significant PLA activity in the Taiwan Strait since William Lai Ching-de of the independence-leaning Democratic Progressive Party was elected president last month, but that could change in the coming months.

Some predict that the Chinese government may step up its military activities near Taiwan’s presidential inauguration in May.

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The Chinese government believes that Taiwan should be part of its territory and subject to mainland control if necessary. Most countries, including the United States, do not recognize the island as an independent state.

However, the United States opposes any attempt to occupy Taiwan by force and is committed to providing arms to Taipei.

“The carriers are participating in exercises that demonstrate U.S. combat readiness, perhaps concentrating in the region in response to Taiwan’s election,” said a senior international defense researcher at the Rand Corporation, a U.S.-based think tank. Timothy Heath said.

“While there is a low risk that China will take any coercive action during the Lunar New Year period, there is a possibility that the People’s Liberation Army will increase its threat to Taiwan after the Lunar New Year and around the time of Taiwan’s presidential inauguration,” he said.

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Tensions continue between China and Manila over the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea, with coastguards from both countries clashing on Monday.

North Korea’s provocations against the United States and its allies have also increased. On Wednesday, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff reported that North Korea fired several cruise missiles toward the Sea of ​​Japan (also known as the East Sea).

Burton said the United States is clearly monitoring the situation in the Taiwan Strait and predicted that PLA military operations would continue throughout Lai’s tenure.

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He added that the strategic importance of the South China Sea and North Korea’s increased activities and defenses also raised concerns in the region.

Burton said Washington’s show of force was “designed to deter multiple fronts at once” and “the ability to maintain regional peace and the status quo by deterring only the presence of pure military force.” He said he was sending a message about it.

“I think Washington wants to impress upon Beijing and those watching that it can simultaneously tackle multiple strategic hotspots at the same time. The message is the ability to work on multiple fronts. should be seen as a strength, not a weakness to be exploited.”