The United States' Military Presence in the South China Sea in 2024
A new report by the Beijing-based think tank South China Sea Strategic Situation Probing Initiative has revealed the extent of the United States' military presence in the South China Sea in 2024. The report highlights the intensification of US military activities in the region, including close-in reconnaissance, transits through the Taiwan Strait, forward deployment, strategic patrols, combat exercises, and battlefield preparations.
The report notes that the US military conducted approximately 1,000 sorties of close-in aerial reconnaissance using large aircraft and deployed its carrier strike groups to the South China Sea eight times last year. Additionally, at least 10 attack submarines, two cruise missile submarines, and one ballistic missile submarine, all nuclear-powered, were found operating in the South China Sea and adjacent waters throughout the year.
The frequency of bomber incursions into the South China Sea also increased significantly, with crews conducting frequent drills on "north-south coordinated maneuvers" and "distributed combat operations." The report emphasizes that since 2009, the US military has continuously escalated the frequency and intensity of its China-targeted activities in the South China Sea.
The report concludes that the Trump administration's global strategic retrenchment will not alter the US strategic community's consensus that the Indo-Pacific remains the top priority for US military efforts and that China is its most significant strategic competitor. However, the report also notes that even if the Red Sea crisis subsides or a Russia-Ukraine ceasefire is achieved, the number of naval and air assets the US can redeploy to the Indo-Pacific will remain constrained. Consequently, the US military is very likely to use more unmanned platforms and autonomous weapons systems in the South China Sea and adjacent areas in the future to meet the additional needs of forces.
5 Comments
Habibi
The US is simply trying to maintain the free flow of trade and navigation in the South China Sea, which is vital to the global economy.
Bermudez
China's concerns about the US military presence are unfounded and hypocritical. They are projecting their own anxieties and ambitions onto the US.
Africa
The world needs to stand up to the US and demand that they end their aggressive and destabilizing activities in the South China Sea.
Bella Ciao
The US claims that their presence is necessary for peace are disingenuous. Their actions are destabilizing the region and increasing the risk of conflict.
Pupsik
The US is not the only country with a military presence in the South China Sea. China forgets to mention their own extensive military build-up in the region, including the deployment of nuclear-capable missiles.