US flexing muscle in Sino-claimed waters

Aircraft carrier, guided-missile ships, combat planes, helicopters freely drill in the South China Sea

The US is currently showing off its military might in waters being claimed by China with exercises involving warplanes, the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz and four other warships.

ABOARD THE NIMITZ, SOUTH CHINA SEA—Over a few hours under grey skies, dozens of combat planes and helicopters roar on and off the flight deck of the aircraft carrier Nimitz, in a demonstration of US military power in some of the world’s most hotly contested waters.

The drills came as a four-star US Air Force general warned of possible war with China as early as 2025—most likely over Taiwan—and urged his commanders to push their units to achieve maximum operational battle readiness this year.

In an internal memorandum that first emerged on social media on Friday, and was later confirmed as genuine by the Pentagon, the head of the Air Mobility Command, General Mike Minihan, said the main goal should be to deter “and, if required, defeat” China.

“I hope I am wrong. My gut tells me we will fight in 2025,” Minihan said.

In the South China Sea, MH60 Seahawk helicopters and F/A-18 Hornet jets bearing pilot call signs like “Fozzie Bear”, “Pig Sweat” and “Bongoo” emit deafening screams as they land in the drizzle on the Nimitz, which is leading a carrier strike group that entered the Chinese claimed waters two weeks ago.

The group’s commander, Rear Adm. Christopher Sweeney, said the tour was part of a US commitment to uphold freedom of passage in the waters and airspace of a region vital to global trade.

Welcomed by allies

“We are going to sail, fly and operate wherever international norms and rules allow. We’re going to do that safely and we’re going to be resolute about that,” Sweeney said.

“It’s really just about sailing and operating obviously with our allies and partners in the area and assuring them of free and open commerce and trade in the Indo-Pacific.”

A US presence in the South China Sea, a conduit for about $3.4 trillion of annual trade, has been welcomed by allies like Japan, South Korea, the Philippines and Australia, but it continues to rile rival China, which sees the exercises as provocations in its backyard.

China claims historic jurisdiction over almost the entire South China Sea, which includes the exclusive economic zones of Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and the Philippines.

Beijing has been conducting regular exercises too and maintains a large presence of coast guard and fishing vessels far off its mainland—a source of frequent tension with its neighbors.

The Nimitz Carrier Strike Group 11 includes the guided-missile cruiser Bunker Hill and the guided-missile destroyers Decatur, Wayne E. Meyer and Chung-Hoon. The Chung-Hoon on Jan. 5 sailed through the sensitive Taiwan Strait, irking China.

‘Safe, professional’

That came two weeks after a Chinese navy J-11 fighter jet caused alarm when it came within 3 meters of a US Air Force plane over the South China Sea.

Sweeney said it was crucial for international rules to be followed and said the US presence in the South China Sea demonstrated its commitment to its regional allies.

“We’ve operated in the same body of water as the Chinese or the Singaporean navy or the Filipino navy since we’ve arrived and it’s all been safe and professional,” he said.

“We’re going to sail, fly and operate wherever international waters allow us to, so we’re not going anywhere.”