"unless you know Big Mama (two of them, bristling with 5th Gen warfare capability!) will come and back them up if necessary."
That's going to have the PLA quaking in their boots I'm sure - they've had DF-21's deployed for over 10 years and are replacing them with DF-26's - each of which comfortably out-ranges any aircraft the QE class bring along. And even the Saudi's have DF-21's these days.
No politician will be willing to risk these vessels anywhere near any serious opponent