In an exclusive interview the commander
of the united kingdom carrier strike
group 21 CSG 21 task force told CBC news
that the one-day exercise was a
demonstration of solidarity and of how
western allies can work seamlessly
together.
It's an important message for those here
that nations like ourselves really do
believe in the freedom of navigation in
the freedom of trade and really are
alarmed at the militarization of the
area said royal navy commodore steve
morehouse. He said he has no doubt that the message
was understood. Chinese intelligence gathering vessels
were in the region, he said. So i have absolutely no doubt the
message would have been relayed back to
china quite quickly.
The exercise was a milestone in several
ways. Since the end of the second world war
the japanese have not possessed aircraft
carriers and their military has
maintained a defensive posture. Last weekend's fighter jet trial saw a
u.s marine F-35B land on and take off
from the helicopter carrier JS Izumo
making it a de facto fixed-wing aircraft
carrier. The exercise was also one of the largest
gatherings of aircraft carriers in the
pacific in decades.
Commander Doug Layton the skipper of
hmcs winnipeg, told CBC News that the
site of so many big warships and so much
firepower gathered in one space left the
sailors aboard his frigate in awe, you should have seen the looks on their
faces leighton said, adding that at one
point 12 fighter jets overflew us a
combination of F-35s and F-18s. The canadian frigate was edged in beside
and escorting hms queen Elizabeth. the
royal navy's newest aircraft carrier
which is on a world tour
i've been in the navy for 20 years and i
have never been in such a showcase of
naval power, said Leighton.
The British have been largely absent
from the pacific ocean for nearly two
decades. Morehouse said the royal navy has been
relearning how to operate in that vast
expanse. The voyage is helping to lay the
groundwork for the semi-permanent
stationing of two british warships in
the region he added.
It was reported late thursday by
international media that a u.s nuclear
submarine that was not part of the large
exercise collided over the weekend with
an unknown object while submerged in the
south china sea. It was not clear what caused the
incident on saturday, but american
officials said the uss connecticut
remains fully operational. The accident injured 11 sailors.
While the exercise was taking place, china's people's liberation army air
force was in the midst of a series of
sorties into taiwan's air defense zone. Over several consecutive days some of
beijing's most advanced fighters and
bombers skirted the disputed island's
actual airspace within the buffer zone
around it. As many as 150 planes took part in the
incursions. the flight started on friday china's
national day and were described by the
u.s state department as provocative and
destabilizing. Many experts said the timing of the
flights was not surprising but the
number of warplanes involved was.
Julie Clark a fellow with the Canadian Global affairs institute said Beijing
likely felt compelled to put a forceful
display after the recent announcement of
a security arrangement involving the U.S, the UK and Australia which will see the
latter acquire nuclear submarine
technology. The incursion seemed to be a strong
message to the west particularly to the
united states with some of their recent
moves with strategic security alliances
to indicate they're not a country in
which they can be pushed around, said Clark.
The recent summit in washington of the
so-called quadrilateral quad nations a
strategic security dialogue involving
the united states India, Japan and Australia also probably got under China's skin Clark suggested.
On wednesday it was announced that the
presidents of the us and china will hold
a virtual summit later this year. Clark said that event will be a very
important opportunity to reduce the
growing tensions in the region. many of china's neighbors have been
rattled by beijing's military buildup
and provocative actions. But equally
clark said those countries are being
given a stark choice as allied military
displays become more noticeable. There have been moves from other asian
countries or at least pressure on them
to take aside she said.
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Military