US orders aircraft carrier to stay near Taiwan amid tensions with China

• The Pentagon has ordered U.S. aircraft carriers and their strike groups to remain near Taiwan amid current tensions.
• Tensions in the region soared after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taipei on Tuesday.
• Among other military responses, China deployed 68 aircraft and 13 ships near Taiwan on Friday.

The Pentagon has ordered U.S. aircraft carriers to remain in waters near Taiwan, a senior White House official said.

White House National Security Council Press Secretary John Kirby said in a Thursday briefing that Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said, “USS Ronald Reagan and her strike group ships will remain in the general area to monitor the situation.” He said he ordered

“We plan to implement standard air and sea transit through the Taiwan Strait in the coming weeks, consistent with our longstanding approach to upholding maritime freedom and international law,” he added. “And we will take further steps to demonstrate our commitment to the security of our allies in the region.”

Before Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan earlier this week, the Japan-based USS Ronald Reagan, America’s only forward-deployed aircraft carrier, and two other U.S. Navy flattops, the amphibious assault ships USS America and USS Tripoli. was reported to be active in nearby waters. autonomous island.

Both Tripoli and America are armed with the latest fifth-generation F-35 stealth fighters, while Reagan carries a larger wing of F/A-18 jets and other air assets.

The U.S. Navy vessels are said to be conducting normal operations, not in response to Beijing’s repeated warnings of possible military reactions to the voyage. But Reagan is now expanding its deployment in the Western Pacific amid heightened tensions.

Tensions in the region have remained high since Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan on Tuesday, and the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has said it will continue to promote democratic democracy through military exercises this week, the launch of ballistic missiles over and around Taiwan, and exercises involving flights. increasing pressure on the island. Dozens of fighter jets entered Taiwan’s air defense identification zone.

In the latest move, Beijing deployed 68 aircraft and 13 ships for military operations around the Taiwan Strait on Friday, the defense ministry in Taipei said. TweetSome of the group’s military assets crossed the central line that divides the Taiwan Strait. This isn’t unprecedented, but such moves aren’t very common.

The defense ministry said Taiwan’s military “responded to the situation with surveillance systems, CAP aircraft, naval vessels and missile systems.”

“We condemn such actions for disrupting the surrounding airspace and waters and will continue to ensure democracy and freedom without threat,” it added.

— Ministry of National Defense Ministry of National Defense, ROC 🇹🇼 (@MoNDefense) August 5, 2022

China’s state-run Global Times did not immediately reveal which planes or ships China had sent. report The show of force included fighters, electronic reconnaissance aircraft, bombers, and early warning aircraft. The pilot was close enough to see the coast and mountains of Taiwan.