South China Sea: USS Ronald Reagan carrier strike group conducting security operations in contested waters

Tensions surround the South China Sea over sovereignty claims by China and the surrounding countries. The US announced that its USS Ronald Reagan carrier strike group is currently deployed in the contested waters, carrying out security operations.

Reuters reports that the US Navy said Wednesday that its carrier strike group, the USS Ronald Reagan, is conducting security operations in the South China Sea. Its commanding officer Captain Fred Goldhammer issued a statement saying the security operations reiterate Washington’s pledge for a free and open Indo-Pacific.

“Our presence in the South China Sea demonstrates America’s commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific,” said Goldhammer.

The move is likely to draw the ire of China, which claims sovereignty over the majority of the body of water.

However, its claims overlap those of the surrounding countries, and an international tribunal in 2016 ruled that China’s claims of sovereignty are baseless under international law. Beijing has ignored the arbitration and has continued to assert its claims over the majority of the waters.

This also comes as the Philippines marked the anniversary of the arbitration this week, reasserting the arbitration against China. Philippine foreign minister Enrique Manalo marked the anniversary by issuing a statement reiterating that China’s claims are groundless and that the arbitration was final.

“These findings are no longer within the reach of denial and rebuttal, and are conclusive as they are indisputable,” said Manalo. “We firmly reject attempts to undermine it…even erase it from law, history, and our collective memories.”

The United States also marked the anniversary of the arbitration. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken issued a statement, saying that Washington will defend longtime treaty ally Philippines if under attack in the contested waters. Blinken also urged China to comply with international law and stop all provocations in the South China Sea.

“We reaffirm that an armed attack on Philippine armed forces…would invoke US mutual defense commitments,” said Blinken, referring to the mutual defense treaty between the two countries that was established in 1951.

The day before, Blinken’s Chinese counterpart Wang Yi advised countries in the region during an ASEAN meeting not to be used as “chess pieces” by world powers.