Satellite Photo Shows US Aircraft Carrier in Pacific Rivalry With China
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
The United States aircraft carrier USS Nimitz continues to operate in the South China Sea, satellite imagery shows, as the Chinese navy expands its presence in the Pacific Ocean.
The Seventh Fleet—the largest of the U.S. Navy's forward-deployed fleets, with more than 50 vessels and 150 aircraft—delivers "combat-credible forces" in the western Pacific and Indian Oceans alongside the U.S.'s allies and partners, the Fleet said in a statement to Newsweek.
Newsweek has also contacted the Chinese Defense Ministry for comment by email.
Why It Matters
The Nimitz began its "regularly scheduled deployment" to the western Pacific Ocean in late March—likely its final overseas mission before decommissioning. After a brief transit in the Strait of Malacca, the nuclear-powered warship returned to the South China Sea in late May.
United States Navy sailors checking the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz in the South China Sea on June 2.
United States Navy sailors checking the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz in the South China Sea on June 2.
Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Apprentice Franklyn Guage/U.S. Navy
The U.S. aircraft carrier deployment in the South China Sea, where China's territorial claims overlap those of other regional countries, comes as the Chinese navy—the world's largest by hull count—has two aircraft carriers operating simultaneously in the broader western Pacific.
What To Know
According to satellite imagery captured on Sunday and shared by open-source intelligence researcher @MT_Anderson on X, formerly Twitter, the Nimitz was spotted operating in the West Philippine Sea, about 167 miles northeast of the disputed Scarborough Shoal.
🇺🇸Carrier Strike Group 11🇺🇸
CVN-68 is back in the West Philippine Sea, operating ~270km NE of 🇵🇭Scarborough Shoal (8 June 2025)
Along with her are likely 2x Arleigh Burkes and potentially 1x 🇦🇺Hobart Class (?)
Length is in the correct range and it doesn't look like a PLAN… pic.twitter.com/cHLqi13T22 — MT Anderson (@MT_Anderson) June 9, 2025
The maritime feature, under China's control since 2012, lies about 138 miles west of Luzon Island in the northern Philippines. Manila uses the term "West Philippine Sea" to refer to the portion of the South China Sea that falls within its 230-mile-wide exclusive economic zone.
The most recently released official photos, taken on June 2, show the Nimitz underway in the South China Sea. The aircraft carrier's deployment demonstrates the U.S. Navy's unwavering commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific, according to a photo caption.
Meanwhile, the second American aircraft carrier deployed in the western Pacific Ocean, USS George Washington, was spotted departing its home port at Yokosuka naval base near Tokyo, Japan's capital, on Tuesday, according to photos taken by a local ship spotter.
The George Washington returned to Yokosuka on June 4 following "routine operations" in nearby waters. The aircraft carrier and its naval aviators are preparing for their first patrol since returning to Japan—a U.S. ally—for a forward deployment almost eight months ago.
What People Are Saying
The U.S. Seventh Fleet said in a statement to Newsweek: "Every day the U.S. Pacific Fleet operates to protect the security, freedom, and prosperity for the United States and our allies and partners, reflecting our commitment to maintaining peace and stability in the region."
The Seventh Fleet is one of two fleets—along with the Third Fleet—that report to the Pacific Fleet, whose command area extends from the Pacific Ocean to the Indian Ocean.
U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Maximilian Clark, the commander of the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group, said in April: "Operating forward as a strike group hones our ability to maintain persistent and capable forces at sea, always ready to provide our leaders with a broad spectrum of military capabilities to respond to any crisis or contingency."
What Happens Next
It remains to be seen whether the Nimitz will depart the South China Sea for the Philippine Sea—located east of the Philippines—to conduct operations with the George Washington.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hill
an hour ago
- The Hill
Here are the trade deals Trump has made ahead of Aug. 1 tariffs
After months of delays, President Trump's long-awaited global tariffs are slated to take effect at the end of this week. Trump on April 2 announced 'reciprocal' tariffs on dozens of other countries, using trade deficits to help calculate the tariff rate. But a week later, he lowered those rates to 10 percent for three months as markets reacted negatively, allowing time for countries to negotiate. As the 90-day window was nearing its end earlier this month, Trump sent letters to countries informing them of the new 'reciprocal' rate that, he said, would take effect Aug. 1. The White House has managed to secure some significant trade deals since the president's unprecedented sweeping tariffs were first announced in the spring. Trump on Sunday announced a trade deal with the European Union, setting tariffs at 15 percent for European goods, including automobiles — lower than the 30 percent rate Trump had threatened to impose on the EU next month. The EU will purchase $750 billion worth of energy from the U.S. as part of the deal, Trump announced, and agreed to invest in the U.S. $600 billion more than the current investments for other goods. Trump similarly reached a deal last week with Japan, setting a 15 percent tariff on Japanese goods — lower than lower the 25 percent tariff Trump had threatened to impose. Also in that deal, Trump said Japan would invest $550 billion in projects in the U.S. and would open its markets to U.S. automobiles, rice and other agricultural products. The Philippines agreed to a trade deal with the United States that would lower U.S. tariffs on its exports to from 20 percent to 19 percent, Trump announced last week. Trump had originally set a 17 percent duty on imports from the Philippines in April before warning that figure would rise to 20 percent last month. An agreement with Indonesia would also set a tariff rate of 19 percent on its imports. Trump announced an agreement with the United Kingdom in early May, in what is considered the first major deal struck since the president announced his sweeping tariffs in April. That agreement set the tariff rate at 10 percent, down from 25 percent. The U.K. is allowed to export 100,000 cars to the U.S. at a 10-percent tariff rate, as opposed to the 25-percent rate announced March 26, marking a win for the British car industry. Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer are expected to talk about the implementation of that deal when they meet Monday in Scotland. The US and China announced in late May the contours of a deal to stave off a trade war between the two countries temporarily. The U.S. reduced its tariff rate from 145 percent to 30 percent, and China reduced its rate from 125 percent to 10 percent. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng are set to hold talks Monday for the third time this year, with The Associated Press reporting that China is expected to press for the U.S. to remove its 20 percent tariff related to fentanyl. Both countries have an additional 10 percent baseline tariff in place. The White House sent dozens of letters this month informing countries of what they should expect their tariff rate to be, come Aug. 1. Trump has insisted he would not further extend the tariff deadline, but Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said Sunday that the president would be open to continuing discussions even after the tariffs are in place. For countries that have yet to secure a deal with the U.S., here are the tariff rates set to take effect on Aug. 1: Canada: 35 percent Mexico: 30 percent South Korea: 25 percent South Africa: 30 percent Kazakhstan: 25 percent Laos: 40 percent Malaysia: 25 percent Myanmar: 40 percent Tunisia: 25 percent Bosnia and Herzegovina: 30 percent Bangladesh: 35 percent Serbia: 35 percent Cambodia: 36 percent Thailand: 36 percent Libya: 30 percent Iraq: 30 percent Algeria: 30 percent Moldova: 25 percent Brunei: 25 percent Sri Lanka: 30 percent Brazil: 50 percent
San Francisco Chronicle
2 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Hong Kong's CK Hutchison seeks Chinese investor to join Panama Ports deal
HONG KONG (AP) — A Hong Kong conglomerate that's selling ports at the Panama Canal said Monday it may seek a Chinese investor to join a consortium of buyers, a move that could please Beijing but bring more U.S. scrutiny to the geopolitically fraught deal. CK Hutchison Holdings' initial plan to sell port assets in dozens of countries to a group that includes U.S. investment firm BlackRock Inc. pleased President Donald Trump, who has alleged that China interferes with the critical shipping lane's operations in Panama. However, they apparently angered Beijing and drew a review from Chinese anti-monopoly authorities. A Hutchison subsidiary has operated ports at both ends of the Panama Canal since 1997. After months of uncertainty brought by tensions between Washington and Beijing, Hutchison said in a statement that the exclusive negotiations period with the consortium has expired. However, it added 'the Group remains in discussions with members of the consortium with a view to inviting major strategic investor from the PRC to join as a significant member of the consortium,' referring to the People's Republic of China. It said they needed to change the membership of the consortium and the structure of the transaction for the deal to be able to pass reviews by 'all relevant authorities." The awkward position Hutchison found itself in for months highlights the challenges Hong Kong business elites face in navigating Beijing's expectations of national loyalty, especially when relations between China and the United States are strained. Hong Kong has overhauled its electoral system to ensure the city is run by 'patriots.' CK Hutchison is owned by the family of Hong Kong's richest man, Li Ka-shing. It announced March 4 that it would sell all its shares in Hutchison Port Holdings and in Hutchison Port Group Holdings to the consortium that also includes BlackRock subsidiary Global Infrastructure Partners and Terminal Investment Limited, a subsidiary of the Mediterranean Shipping Company. In May, Hutchinson co-managing director, Dominic Lai told shareholders that Terminal Investment was the main investor. Its parent company is led by Italian shipping scion Diego Aponte, whose family reportedly has a longstanding relationship with Li's. The initial deal, valued at nearly $23 billion including $5 billion in debt, would have given the consortium control over 43 ports in 23 countries, including the ports of Balboa and Cristobal, located at either end of the canal. That agreement also required approval from Panama's government.
The Hill
2 hours ago
- The Hill
Hong Kong's CK Hutchison seeks Chinese investor to join Panama Ports deal
HONG KONG (AP) — A Hong Kong conglomerate that's selling ports at the Panama Canal said Monday it may seek a Chinese investor to join a consortium of buyers, a move that could please Beijing but bring more U.S. scrutiny to the geopolitically fraught deal. CK Hutchison Holdings' initial plan to sell its port assets to a group that includes U.S. investment firm BlackRock Inc. pleased President Donald Trump, who has alleged that China interferes with the critical shipping lane's operations in Panama. However, they apparently angered Beijing and drew a review from Chinese anti-monopoly authorities. A Beijing-backed newspaper posted scathing commentaries about the deal, with one describing it as a betrayal of all Chinese. Beijing's offices overseeing Hong Kong affairs have reposted some of these commentaries, widely seen as an indication of Chinese leaders' stance. A Hutchison subsidiary has operated ports at both ends of the Panama Canal since 1997. After months of uncertainty brought by tensions between Washington and Beijing, Hutchison said in a statement that the exclusive negotiations period with the consortium has expired. However, it added 'the Group remains in discussions with members of the consortium with a view to inviting major strategic investor from the PRC to join as a significant member of the consortium,' referring to the People's Republic of China. It said they needed to change the membership of the consortium and the structure of the transaction for the deal to be able to pass reviews by 'all relevant authorities.' The awkward position Hutchison found itself in for months highlights the challenges Hong Kong business elites face in navigating Beijing's expectations of national loyalty, especially when relations between China and the United States are strained. Hong Kong has overhauled its electoral system to ensure the city is run by 'patriots.' CK Hutchison is owned by the family of Hong Kong's richest man, Li Ka-shing. It announced March 4 that it would sell all its shares in Hutchison Port Holdings and in Hutchison Port Group Holdings to the consortium that also includes BlackRock subsidiary Global Infrastructure Partners and Terminal Investment Limited, a subsidiary of the Mediterranean Shipping Company. In May, Hutchinson co-managing director, Dominic Lai told shareholders that Terminal Investment was the main investor. Its parent company is led by Italian shipping scion Diego Aponte, whose family reportedly has a longstanding relationship with Li's. The initial deal, valued at nearly $23 billion including $5 billion in debt, would have given the consortium control over 43 ports in 23 countries, including the ports of Balboa and Cristobal, located at either end of the canal. That agreement also required approval from Panama's government. The deadline for their exclusive negotiation period ended on July 27.
