US warship sails to Taiwan strait as China's PLA ups air power ahead of Pelosi's visit

Ahead of looming fear that Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) would attack US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's aircraft when she flies to self-administered Taiwan, US military on July 26 sailed its only forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan towards Taiwan strait. USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) departed Changi Naval Base, Singapore after concluding a port visit with cruiser USS Antietam (CG-54).

US mobilised an aircraft carrier, a guided missile destroyer, and a guided missile cruiser in direction of an unkwn location, and ship-tracking information published by Beijing-based think tank South China Sea Strategic Probing Initiative revealed that US-flagged aircraft carrier was headed towards sensitive and contentious hotspot, Taiwan strait. 

US aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76). Credit: Associated Press

A 'dangerous provocation' 

As US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi planned to make a visit, yet to be officially confirmed to self-administered island nation Taiwan, China's People's Liberation Army shot warnings labelling Pelosi's high-level visit as a "dangerous provocation." Ronald Reagan Strike Group that operates under US 7th Fleet area of operations quietly sailed to an unidentified destination in rast, and it was later tracked that it was sailing in direction of Taiwanese waters.

Should it continue sailing in bound route, US striker group will reach  Taiwan strait where PLA Air Force's fighter jets make routine aerial incursions. Satellite ims show increased PLA military activities at Longtian Airbase, from which Chinese fighter jets can fly to Taipei in seven minutes. turmac was also seen packed with Flanker-series fighter jets, Russian-made Su-27s and Chinese variants of J-11 or J-16 series. Special combat drones made from old J-6 jets were also spotted conducting surveillance activity. 

development comes as tensions were at an all-time high between Beijing and Washington over US House Speaker's Asian tour which has created a furore among Biden administration officials. 

As Beijing's People's Liberation Army Air Force strengned its aerial power instilling fears that a South Asian regional armed conflict is brewing, Chinese ministry of defence spokesman warned that his military forces would resort to  “strong measures” and that re will be "unthinkable consequences" if US speaker “insisted on going ahead” and Pelosi set foot on self-ruled Taiwan.

As Pelosi remained undeterred about cancelling her much controversial tour, US officials warned that Beijing's armed forces have bolstered its assets in Indo-Pacific region, and have deployed fighter jets, war vessels, surveillance assets and or military combat systems that could trigger a full scale conflict. 

Beijing warns of 'possible military response'

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian, at a state presser warned that Beijing is "firmly opposed to Speaker Pelosi's visit to Taiwan." He asserted that US Congress must t breach  'One China policy.' Chinese officials, on or hand, warned that US Speaker Pelosi’s trip, a rare since 1997, would be met with a “possible military response.”

recent satellite ims show that PLA has bolstered its surveillance and patrols in Tawian strait. “ Taiwan issue could spark war—including nuclear war—between two largest ecomies in world." Evan Medeiros, a former top White House China expert in Obama administration told a paper. US military, separately advised president Joe Biden Biden that Pelosi's tour to Taiwan was “t a good idea." 

Gen. Mark Milley. Credit: Associated Press

“We will do what is necessary to ensure a safe, safe conduct of ir visit. And I’ll just leave it at that,” United States Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley said at end of  24th Indo-Pacific Chiefs of Defense (CHODs) Conference. “ mess is Chinese military, in air and at sea, have become significantly more and ticeably more aggressive in this particular region. So what that results in we’ll have to wait and see," he added.