Admiral Steve Koehler, commander of the US Pacific Fleet, led a team to attend the 19 th annual meeting of the Western Pacific Naval Forum held by China.
The commander of the US-Pacific ship visited China, and the aircraft carrier went straight to Scarborough Shoal at the same time
According to central media reports, Admiral Steve Koehler, commander of the US Navy's Pacific Fleet, led a delegation to China, and they arrived in China on April 20.
Commander of the Navy's Pacific Fleet, Steve Koehler
What is interesting, however, is that on the day the US admiral's delegation arrived in China, the US Navy's "Roosevelt" nuclear-powered aircraft carrier strike group fleet rushed straight to the waters south of Huangyan Dao, and two 054A frigates and an electronic reconnaissance ship of the Chinese Navy were responsible for tracking and monitoring.
The day before, the "Roosevelt" was still in the waters north of the Reed Bank in the Nansha Islands, so it is difficult not to think that the US Navy deliberately wanted to give the Chinese side a "disadvantage" when the commander of the Pacific Fleet visited China.
The aircraft carrier "Roosevelt" near Scarborough Shoal on April 20
Moreover, the Roosevelt is currently part of the US Pacific Fleet, and as the supreme commander of the Pacific Fleet, Admiral Koehler must have been well aware of the Roosevelt's recent activities in the South China Sea.
The Chinese Navy dispatched three surface warships to pursue and intercept the US aircraft carrier strike group, and the US aircraft carrier has now "run away" to the vicinity of Singapore as it moves further south.
The PLA 054A frigate that surrounded and intercepted the US aircraft carrier
U.S. media said that near Philippine waters, the United States and the Philippines and other countries held the largest joint military exercise in recent years, "Shoulder to Shoulder 2024", with a total of 16,700 military personnel participating. They will participate in training in maritime security, air and missile defense, dynamic missile strikes, cyber defense, and information operations.
The exercise also included a simulated island-seizing operation in Palawan, not far from the Spratly Islands. Similar exercises were held at other locations, including the Batanes Islands, less than 300 kilometers from Taiwan.
The activity path of the US aircraft carrier Roosevelt in the South China Sea in 2 months, source: Mu Xing Guanhai and Sky
Targeting China has obvious implications, and three PLA warships "encircled and intercepted" the US aircraft carrier
On April 20, when the Roosevelt aircraft carrier strike group went south near Scarborough Shoal, there was an analysis that it might participate in the US-Philippine military exercise to "deter" China, but the Roosevelt aircraft carrier was chased and intercepted by three PLA ships, so it quickly went south to the waters near Singapore.
Blinken
The US media said that this was an intentional move by the US side, because not only the high-level delegation of the US Navy visited China, but also this year, in accordance with Biden's request to arrange Secretary of State Blinken's visit to China, China invited Blinken to visit China from April 24 to April 26, mainly on issues such as effectively managing differences between China and the United States and strengthening bilateral dialogue.
Therefore, it is unlikely that the US military will make some big moves around China to avoid provoking China and affecting the entire itinerary of Blinken's visit to China.
However, it should be pointed out that the large-scale exercises currently being conducted by the US-Philippine coalition forces, with or without aircraft carriers, are all aimed at China, including the previous deployment of the "medium-range missile" system by the United States in the Philippines, which means that the United States is increasing its military deployment in the South China Sea and enhancing its long-range strike capability against China.
Before Blinken's visit to China, China clearly warned that it opposes the United States in sowing discord between China and other countries in the South China Sea and interfering in the South China Sea issue. The message released is very clear, that is, the South China Sea issue has nothing to do with the United States, and it should not interfere.
The collusion between the United States and the Philippines will not affect the overall situation in the South China Sea, and the refusal of the US aircraft carrier to participate in the US-Philippine exercise is probably not only due to the analysis of the US media, but also to avoid arousing a strong reaction from the PLA.
The deterrent power of US aircraft carriers has been greatly reduced
The U.S.-Philippine military exercise has decided to use a Chinese-built warship as a target ship to "sacrifice the flag," which is so targeted that if the entire aircraft carrier fleet is sent to the vicinity of Scarborough Shoal in the future, it will further escalate tensions.
Once a conflict breaks out, it will not end well for the US military, and if its aircraft carrier fleet dares to intervene, the PLA will have a reason to sink it.
The United States has tried its best to stir up the situation in the South China Sea, but with little success
After all, the US aircraft carrier is not like a few decades ago when it could run rampant and domineering unscrupulously at China's doorstep, the times have changed, and the US aircraft carrier at the doorstep has limited deterrent power against China, which is also the reason why the US military strongly asks the Philippines to provide more military bases, and the land bases are "unsinkable aircraft carriers", and the US aircraft carriers around China are not "unsinkable".
It can be said that in recent years, US aircraft carriers have not dared to conduct large-scale military exercises against China in the vicinity of the East China Sea and the Taiwan Strait. Even in the Taiwan Strait, US aircraft carriers now do not dare to pass through the Taiwan Strait, but go around from the east side of Taiwan Island.
On the one hand, it is to show its military presence to countries in the South China Sea, strengthen the military influence of the United States, and also show its attitude to the Western allies of the United States, and on the other hand, to support and cheer up countries in the South China Sea, such as the Philippines.
The PLA has the ability to monitor the movements of US troops at any time
As for the military use, it is actually not very large, because in the South China Sea, the missiles of the PLA not only reach the US aircraft carriers, but the reconnaissance system can also grasp the movements of the US aircraft carriers around the clock.
In the South China Sea, although the US military is currently trying its best to stir up and stir up the situation in the South China Sea, the effect remains to be discussed, because after all, the vast majority of countries in the South China Sea have clearly seen the situation and will not be "anti-China" pawns and "cannon fodder" of the United States.
Even if the United States strengthens the deployment of US troops in the Philippines, it will not have an advantage in terms of the quantity and quality of troops, especially in the face of the PLA.
Although the United States has tried to exert pressure through its military presence in the South China Sea, the PLA's firm and timely response demonstrates its determination to defend national sovereignty and regional stability.
Some of the sources in the article: 1. Blinken started his visit to China with chips, what is our attitude towards negotiations Yuyuan Tan Tian