Washington:The United States has sent two aircraft carriers into the disputed waters of the South China Sea to participate in military exercises as Beijing flexes its muscle in the region.
The US Navy confirmed that the USS Ronald Reagan and USS Nimitz are conducting dual-carrier operations and exercises in the South China Sea to support a free and open Indo-Pacific.
The two combat carriers along with four warships will include round-the-clock flights testing the striking ability of carrier-based aircraft. What grabs attention about this move by the US is that it is rare for major American and Chinese military drills to take place in the same region at the same time.
Read |Japan throws support behind India on eastern Ladakh standoff with China
"I can confirm that the USS Nimitz (CVN 68) and USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) are conducting dual-carrier operations and exercises in the South China Sea to support a free and open Indo-Pacific. High-end integrated exercises build unmatched flexibility, endurance, maneuverability, and firepower in an all-domain war-fighting environment," Lt Cmdr. Sean Brophy, APR+M, Public Affairs Officer for the Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group, told.
"These efforts support enduring the US commitments to stand up for the right of all nations to fly, sail, and operate wherever international law allows. This opportunity for two carrier strike groups to train and operate together in the region provides combatant commanders with significant operational flexibility and capabilities that only the US Navy can command," Lt Brophy said.