South China Sea: US carrier group begins `routine` patrols

by Dramelin 7:30 PM 0 comments

Shortly after US President Donald Trump took office on 20 January, his administration vowed to prevent China from taking territory in the South China Sea. It has been constructing artificial islands with airstrips in the South China Sea for a number of years. Image copyright AFP Image caption The USS Carl Vinson is no stranger to the regionUS aircraft carrier the USS Carl Vinson has started what it calls "routine operations" in the South China Sea, with a fleet of supporting warships. The deployment comes days after China`s foreign ministry warned Washington against challenging Beijing`s sovereignty in the region. On Wednesday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said: "We urge the US not to take any actions that challenge China`s sovereignty and security.