The U.S. Pacific Fleet commander says China has failed to intimidate rival claimant states into surrendering their sovereign interests in the South China Sea despite its intensifying “bullying tactics” and the United States and other allied countries are ready to further boost deterrence against Beijing’s aggression.

This week, however, Navy commanders said they were able to take advantage of the timing, particularly during this period of great power competition with China. Carriers and carrier strike groups writ large are phenomenal symbols of American naval power. Koehler said that most recently China deployed aircraft to Fiery Cross Reef in the Spratly Islands and is now operating them out of there. The USS Theodore Roosevelt and its strike group are operating in the Philippine Sea near Guam. The USS Ronald Reagan has left port in Japan and is operating in the Philippine Sea south of there.