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By Ryan Chan
China News Reporter
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The United States nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Nimitz has been tracked returning to the contested South China Sea, where China's sovereignty claims cover most of its waters.
With regard to the Nimitz's operations in the South China Sea, the Japan-based U.S. Seventh Fleet—which maintains America's naval presence in the Western Pacific Ocean—previously told Newsweek that the warship "provides presence and combat-ready forces to the theater."
Newsweek has reached out to the Chinese Defense Ministry for comment by email.
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Why It Matters
The Nimitz—the oldest U.S. aircraft carrier in active service—has been on deployment to the Western Pacific Ocean since departing from its home port in Washington in late March. This is likely its final overseas deployment before a scheduled retirement in May next year.
The carrier arrived in the South China Sea in early May and operated there for two weeks before sailing into the Strait of Malacca—a waterway linking the South China Sea with the Indian Ocean—raising speculation about a possible deployment to the Middle East.
The Nimitz's return to the South China Sea comes as China continues to assert its territorial claims in the region, often leading to confrontations and clashes with neighboring maritime forces, including the Philippines—a major U.S. ally protected by a mutual defense treaty.
What To Know
Following a call at Malaysia's Port Klang—near the country's capital, Kuala Lumpur—the Nimitz and its escorting destroyer, USS Curtis Wilbur, departed the port on Saturday afternoon local time, heading back to the Strait of Malacca.
The aircraft carrier hosted Malaysian naval officers during its stay, photos released by the U.S. Navy show. It was the second port call of the Nimitz's deployment, following a stopover in Guam—America's westernmost territory in the Pacific Ocean—in mid-April.
Open-source ship-tracking data from the online service MarineTraffic shows the carrier sailed southward to Singapore after its departure. The last trackable position places the warship in the waters northeast of Singapore in the South China Sea as of Monday.
While the Nimitz returned to the South China Sea for operations, its sister ship, the Japan-based USS George Washington, was also underway on Sunday in waters near the Northeast Asian country, marking a dual U.S. aircraft carrier deployment in the Western Pacific Ocean.
In addition to the Nimitz and the George Washington, the U.S. amphibious assault ship USS America—another Japan-homeported U.S. warship—was dispatched to the Philippine Sea last week. It is also capable of carrying fighter jets allowing it to effectively serve as an aircraft carrier.
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What People Are Saying
The U.S. Seventh Fleet previously told Newsweek: "Assets assigned to U.S. [Seventh] Fleet operate alongside allies and partners every day to deter aggression and maintain security in the Indo-Pacific."
A U.S. Navy photo caption regarding the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz's visit to Malaysia reads: "Nimitz is conducting a port call in the U.S. [Seventh] Fleet area of operations on a scheduled deployment, demonstrating the U.S. Navy's unwavering commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific."
What Happens Next
It remains to be seen whether the Nimitz, the George Washington, and the America will assemble somewhere in the Western Pacific Ocean for joint operations in the coming weeks.
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