The U.S. Navy confirmed Tuesday (April 6) that the USS Roosevelt Carrier Battle Group (TRCSG) re-entered the South China Sea on April 4 to conduct routine operations.
In February, the USS Roosevelt and USS Nimitz carrier battle groups entered the South China Sea for a joint exercise.
In a statement, the U.S. Navy said the USS Roosevelt carrier battle group will conduct maritime strike exercises, anti-submarine warfare, tactical coordination training and other activities in the South China Sea.
The USS Roosevelt carrier battle group includes the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), U.S. Navy Carrier Wing 11 (CVW-11), the Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser USS Bunker Hill (CG 52), Destroyer Squadron 23 and the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Russell (DDG 59).
“It’s great to be back in the South China Sea, assuring our allies and partners that we remain committed to freedom of navigation (freedom of the seas).” Rear Adm. Doug Verissimo said, “Working with our allies in Australia, India, Japan, Malaysia and South Korea during the battle group’s deployment demonstrates our commitment to a rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific region.”
Eric Anduze, commander of the aircraft carrier USS Roosevelt, said, “I couldn’t be prouder of the hard work and professionalism our crews have shown every day on this deployment. Our Navy’s tenacity and fighting ability is unparalleled and is a testament to our Navy’s determination to preserve free and prosperous seas.”
China also reported the news of the Roosevelt carrier battle group entering the South China Sea, with the think tank South China Sea Strategic Situational Awareness saying on its Weibo account that according to AIS signals, the Roosevelt carrier battle group entered the South China Sea via the Malacca Strait at around 8 a.m. on April 4.
The return of the Roosevelt carrier battle group to the South China Sea comes at a time of heightened tensions in the region. China has been stepping up its military incursions into Taiwan recently, with Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense reporting that four Chinese military aircraft flew into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone on Tuesday, and on Monday, 10 Chinese military aircraft intruded into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone, including one that flew over the strategically important Bashi Channel.
The Chinese Ministry of Defense website also published a navy spokesman on Monday saying that the training of the Liaoning aircraft carrier formation in the waters around Taiwan was a routine training program organized by the navy, but asserted that the Chinese navy will organize similar exercises and training activities on a regular basis as planned.
In addition, the Philippines has recently discovered more than two hundred Chinese vessels anchored near Whitsun Reef, about 320 kilometers west of Palawan Island in the disputed waters of the South China Sea. Whitsun Reef is located within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.
In addition to the return of the USS Roosevelt carrier battle group to the South China Sea, European countries such as Britain and Germany have also announced that they will send warships to the South China Sea. German officials have said that they plan to send warships to Asia in August this year and that they will pass through the South China Sea on their return voyage. The UK has also announced that it will send the aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth to the South China Sea within the year.
Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Colonel Ren Guoqiang previously said, “China has always respected the freedom of navigation and overflight enjoyed by all countries in the South China Sea in accordance with international law, but firmly opposes this as an excuse to endanger the sovereignty and security of coastal countries.”
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