The USS Ronald Reagan was sent to the disputed waters as US officials also insisted that some countries must “follow international law”. Tensions in the region have been at a constant crisis point as Beijing has rivalled Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines for certain contested territories. Rear admiral Karl Thomas said on Tuesday following the move that: “The motto of this carrier is peace through strength.
“We just think that folks should follow the international law and our presence allows us to provide that security and stability in the background for these discussions to take place.”
Recently, Washington expressed concerns over China’s repeated actions against certain claimant states in the region.
At the time, the US stated that it was alarmed by Beijing’s “repeated provocative actions aimed at the offshore oil and gas development of other claimant states”.
Moreover, Vietnam has demanded that China remove a survey ship from the Vanguard Bank, which lies within Vietnam’s 200-mile exclusive zone.
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Last month, a Philippine defence official accused China of “bullying” in the region.
The comment was in reference China’s occupation of islands within Manila’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said Beijing’s behaviour in the region goes against any claims of wanting peace.
Mr Lorenzana’s accusation comes after China took control of the Scarborough Shoal which lies 200km from the Philippine cost, according to South China Morning Post (SCMP).
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Mr Lorenzana told Rappler: “Well, the way they took over Scarborough Shoal, to me that was bullying.”
Despite his attack on Beijing, Mr Lorenzana had previously expressed his hope for greater military ties with China.
Commenting on the Philippines relationship with China, political science professor Zhang Baohuia told SCMP: “While Duterte has been eager to cultivate a new relationship with China, the Philippine military occasionally voices concerns for China’s policies in disputed areas.
“So the Defence Ministry’s benign signalling shows a greater convergence of Duterte’s China policy and that of the military, at least on paper.”