Recently, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken reached an agreement with the mainland on an upcoming visit. And just before his arrival, a shocking event occurred: the US 100,000-ton nuclear-powered aircraft carrier "Reagan" decided to show its deterrence and stepped into the waters of the South China Sea on the mainland. This is a landmark move by the United States to send an aircraft carrier here again after the aircraft carrier Nimitz left four months ago.
It is undeniable that the U.S. aircraft carrier has always served as the core strength and symbol of its navy, representing a shift in its military strategy no matter where it is headed. Why, then, did the United States choose to flex its power in the South China Sea at this critical juncture? There are three possible explanations. First of all, we currently have differences with the Philippines and Vietnam on the South China Sea issue, and the actions of these countries behind them are more or less influenced by the United States. The entry of US aircraft carriers into the South China Sea is undoubtedly intended to send a positive signal to those countries. Second, the mainland's military power is gradually growing, and for the United States, aircraft carriers may be its greatest existing advantage. Sending aircraft carriers to mainland waters is clearly an attempt to demonstrate its remaining military superiority. Finally, the operation may be a military demonstration for Blinken's upcoming visit.
And as for why we did not send aircraft carriers in response, the reason is also simple. Our aircraft carrier Shandong is currently under maintenance in the Bohai Sea, while the Liaoning is undergoing a large-scale modernization. And our third aircraft carrier "Fujian" has not yet completed sea trials. This means that for a short period of time, we only have the "Shandong" at our disposal.
In fact, although the number of our existing aircraft carriers is relatively small, this is only the initial stage of the development of continental aircraft carriers. In the future, as our aircraft carrier fleet grows, the United States may consider its military activities near the mainland more cautiously.