And meanwhile, down at sea-level -
US carriers return to challenge China in the Western Pacific. Article + photo in The Times today.
Two American carrier strike groups have begun operating together in the Western Pacific for the first time for nearly two years in a signal to China that the US Navy is back in business after the coronavirus pandemic crippled deterrent patrols in the region.
USS
Nimitz and USS
Theodore Roosevelt, each escorted by up to six warships and submarines, launched joint training exercises in the Philippine Sea. The presence of the carriers, with a combined 180 aircraft and helicopters, is intended to redress the impression fostered by
China that the American military has been on the back foot and was ill-prepared to deal with shipborne virus outbreaks.