The USS Carl Vinson, a Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier of the US Navy, is in the South China Sea for "routine operations."
According to the US Pacific Command, the flagship of Carrier Strike Group ONE is currently conducting regular operations in the US 7th Fleet area of operations.
An official photo published on the US Pacific Fleet website shows sailors watching as an F/A-18E Super Hornet, assigned to the “Stingers” of Strike Fighter Squadron 113, takes off from the carrier's flight deck on Wednesday .
Last year, the Philippine Navy conducted several multilateral maritime cooperative activities with the US and other allied countries in the West Philippine Sea.
China continues to claim almost the entirety of the South China Sea despite a 2016 arbitral award that nullified their claims and despite calls from various countries to stop harassing Philippine ships in the region.
In the speech of AFP chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. during the AFP's 89th anniversary last month, he said the military remains steadfast in defending Philippine sovereignty with the help of the country's allies.
"Through modernized equipment and innovative and strategic international partnerships, we continue to strengthen our maritime presence, protect our exclusive economic zone, and uphold the principles of international law," he said.
Meanwhile, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Commodore Jay Tarriela accused China of spreading a "self-serving interpretation of international law."
In an article published on January 6 by China's national newspaper Global Times, it asserted that China has sovereign rights over the "territorial waters and surrounding areas of Huangyan Dao," as Beijing calls Panatag Shoal.
It added, "The law enforcement activities conducted by the CCG (China Coast Guard) in the waters near the Huangyan Dao are completely justified."
In response to the Global Times article, Tarriela said Philippine media reports about China's illegal presence in the West Philippine Sea are "correct and based on legal principles."
“I question the basis on which @globaltimesnews asserts that the media is exaggerating the illegal presence of the Chinese ship. In addition, I wonder what is the legal basis for the spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to say that their China Coast Guard ship is conducting patrols in accordance with the law,” Tarriela wrote on her X account on January 9, 2025, while The X account of the Global Times shook.
“The problem with China is their tendency to propagate a distorted version of the truth, resulting in a self-serving interpretation of international law. It should be clear to common sense that their China Coast Guard monster ship has no legal authority to patrol the Exclusive Economic Zone of another country.”
Meanwhile, Tarriela said China's illegal patrolling in the West Philippine Sea continues because another Chinese ship has arrived to replace the "monster ship."
This shows that the CCG-3103 could possibly serve as a replacement ship for the monster ship, which aims to continue its illegal presence within the Philippine EEZ, according to Tarriela.
