A US Navy aircraft carrier entered the waters of the South China Sea on Thursday, the same day that the heads of state of the two countries discussed rising tensions over Taiwan.
The United States Seventh Fleet indicated in a statement that the maneuver of the USS Ronald Reagan was part of a scheduled operation and that the ship has left the Changi naval basein Singapore on Tuesday.
This crossing occurs at a time of tension between the two powers, due to the possible visit of the Democratic leader of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, to Taiwan.
Pelosi has yet to officially announce any trip to Taiwan, territory that Beijing claims as a breakaway province to be reunited by force if necessary, but the The Chinese government has been warning that it will respond with “strong measures” if the visit is confirmed.
However, the Seventh Fleet noted that the ship is conducting maritime security operations. These include sea and air operations, as well as coordinated tactical exercises between troops on the ground and in the air.
The USS Ronald Reagan is underway, operating in the South China Sea after a successful visit to Singapore,” said Commander Hayley Sims, spokeswoman for the 7th Fleet.
“The ship continues to operate normally and routinely performs its patrol duties to keep the Indo-Pacific region open,” he added, quoted by Europa Press.
Source: Observadora
