China mouthpiece threatens US Navy with missiles in South China Sea; gets fiery response

Last week, the United States sent two aircraft carriers into the disputed waters of the South China Sea to participate in military exercises even as China continues to flex its muscles in the region. This move by America was highly criticized by the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) mouthpiece Global Times which threatened the carriers with DF-21D and DF-26 'aircraft carrier killer' missiles.

'And yet, there they are'

Responding to this claim, US Navy's Chief of Information on Sunday said that USS Nimitz and USS Ronald Reagan are not intimidated. "China has a wide selection of anti-aircraft carrier weapons like DF-21D and DF-26 "aircraft carrier killer" missiles. The South China Sea is fully within grasp of the PLA; any US aircraft carrier movement in the region is at the pleasure of PLA: analysts," tweeted Global Times along with the link of the report.  

Not being bullied by the Chinese claims, the US took a dig at the mouthpiece and wrote, "And yet, there they are. Two US Navy aircraft carriers operating in the international waters of the South China Sea."

News agency ANI had reported that US navy's USS Ronald Reagan and USS Nimitz are conducting dual-carrier operations and exercises in the South China Sea to support a "free and open Indo-Pacific". The two combat carriers along with four warships will include round-the-clock flights testing the striking ability of carrier-based aircraft.

'We oppose Beijing's unlawful claims'

America's move came as a surprise to many as it is rare for major American and Chinese military drills to take place in the same region at the same time. "America agrees with our South-East Asian friends: The PRC's (People's Republic of China) military exercise in disputed waters of the South China Sea is highly provocative. We oppose Beijing's unlawful claims. Period," Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tweeted on Friday.

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The Pentagon said in a statement cited by CNN on Thursday that China's "military exercises are the latest in a long string of China's actions to assert unlawful maritime claims and disadvantage its South-East Asian neighbours in the South China Sea." US and China have locked horns with each other in the past few months over the spread Coronavirus pandemic and Hong Kong.

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(With ANI inputs)