The U. S. has concluded plans to send two aircraft carriers to the South China Sea to conduct exercises near a site where China is carrying out naval exercises, Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday, The aim of this step is “to send a clear message to China that the United States is not satisfied with the military escalation of Beijing in the region,” referring to the group’s commander. The newspaper pointed out that the aircraft carriers USS Ronald Reagan and USS Nimitz are ready to hold unprecedented maneuvers in the South China Sea as of Saturday.
China had last week announced a five-day training exercise from July 1 near the Paracel Islands, which both Vietnam and China claim sovereignty over.
On Friday, China rejected the U.S. Defense Department’s criticism of its plan to conduct military exercises in the South China Sea, noting that Washington is responsible for increasing tension in the region.
Countries bordering the South China Sea, specifically China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei, have been fighting for sovereignty over parts of it for several centuries, but tensions in the region have escalated recently.
The Chinese and Americans continue trading accusations that the other side is “militarizing” the South China Sea.
Sources: WSJ
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