US Navy nuclear carrier sails into South China Sea; Chinese coast guard water cannon hits Philippine boats

Published Jul 29, 06:35 PM UTC

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 and uphold freedom of navigation. The carrier strike group, which recently participated in the Valiant Shield exercise with Japanese forces, is operating near disputed territories in the Indo-Pacific. The deployment follows a series of escalating incidents between Chinese and Philippine vessels. On July 24, Chinese Coast Guard ships used water cannons against Philippine government-sponsored fishing boats near Scarborough Shoal. Days earlier, a Chinese inflatable raft approached a Philippine warship at Second Thomas Shoal, and a Chinese crewman struck a Philippine sailor with a club. A US Coast Guard vessel intervened to assist the injured Filipino. US Secretary of State Rubio condemned the actions, and the US vowed a muscular response to Chinese hybrid warfare tactics.