• The Nimitz is leading a carrier strike group that entered the South China Sea.
• The South China Sea transports approximately $3.4 trillion in annual trade.
• China claims historic jurisdiction over almost the entire South China Sea.

US: Hundreds of combat planes and helicopters roar on and off the flight deck of the aircraft carrier Nimitz over a few hours under grey skies, in a display of US military power in some of the world’s most hotly contested waters.

As they land in the drizzle on the Nimitz, MH-60 Seahawk helicopters and F/A-18 Hornet jets with pilot call letters like “Fozzie Bear,” “Pig Sweat,” and “Bongoo” emit deafening screams. The Nimitz is leading a carrier strike group that entered the South China Sea two weeks ago.

The tour, according to the group’s commander, Rear Admiral Christopher Sweeney, is part of the United States‘ commitment to maintaining freedom of passage in a region vital to global trade.

“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 told on Friday.

“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.”

The US in the South China Sea

The presence of the United States in the South China Sea, which transports approximately $3.4 trillion in annual trade, has been welcomed by allies such as Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, and Australia, but it continues to irritate rival China, which sees the exercises as provocations in its backyard.

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

Beijing has also been conducting regular exercises and maintains a large presence of coast guard and fishing vessels far off its mainland, which has caused frequent tensions with its neighbors.

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

This comes just two weeks after a Chinese navy J-11 fighter jet came within 10 feet (3 meters) of a US Air Force plane over the South China Sea.

Sweeney stressed the importance of international rules and said the United States 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, Singaporean, and Filipino navies since we arrived, and everything has been safe and professional,” he said.

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

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