U.S. carrier group enters S.China Sea amid Taiwan tensions

TAIPEI, Jan 24 (Reuters) - A U.S. aircraft carrier group led
by the USS Theodore Roosevelt has entered the South China Sea to
promote "freedom of the seas", the U.S. military said on Sunday,
at a time when tensions between China and Taiwan have raised
concern in Washington.
U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said in a statement the strike
group entered the South China Sea on Saturday, the same day
Taiwan reported a large incursion of Chinese bombers and fighter
jets into its air defence identification zone in the vicinity of
the Pratas Islands.
The U.S. military said the carrier strike group was in the
South China Sea, a large part of which is claimed by China, to
conduct routine operations "to ensure freedom of the seas, build
partnerships that foster maritime security".
"After sailing through these waters throughout my 30-year
career, it's great to be in the South China Sea again,
conducting routine operations, promoting freedom of the seas,
and reassuring allies and partners," Rear Adm. Doug Verissimo,
commander of the strike group, was quoted as saying.
"With two-thirds of the world's trade travelling through
this very important region, it is vital that we maintain our
presence and continue to promote the rules-based order which has
allowed us all to prosper," Verissimo said in the statement.
The announcement comes just days after Joe Biden was sworn
in as U.S. president.
Biden's nominee for secretary of state, Antony Blinken, told
his Senate confirmation hearing on Tuesday there was "no doubt"
China posed the most significant challenge to the United States
of any nation. China has repeatedly complained about U.S. Navy ships
getting close to Chinese-occupied islands in the South China
Sea, where Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Brunei and Taiwan
all have competing claims.
The Theodore Roosevelt is being accompanied by the
Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Bunker Hill, and
the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers USS Russell
and USS John Finn, the U.S. statement said.