US Navy Sails Nuclear Aircraft Carrier Through South China Sea Amid Rising Tensions with China
The US Navy deployed the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington through the Luzon Strait into the South China Sea on July 22, 2026, as a show of force to deter Chinese aggression in the region. The carrier strike group, which had just completed the Valiant Shield Exercise with Japanese forces, is upholding freedom of navigation. The deployment follows a series of incidents involving Chinese coast guard vessels using water cannons against Philippine boats near Scarborough Shoal on July 24, and a prior confrontation at Second Thomas Shoal where a Chinese sailor struck a Philippine crewman. A US Coast Guard vessel intervened to assist the injured Filipino. The article frames these actions as Chinese hybrid warfare and micro-aggressions that could escalate into a broader conflict, with the US carrier presence intended to signal continued American commitment to regional security.
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