While the U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Nimitz entered Busan on the 28th, Chinese experts expressed their discomfort, saying that the U.S. military actions are raising tensions in the region.
On the 29th, China’s state-run Global Times reported, “While the Nimitz ship entered the Busan operational base the day before and showed off its deterrence against North Korea, North Korea fired short-range ballistic missiles in response to South Korea-US action.”
The media also reported that “Chinese experts are analyzing that the increase in military operations like this not only does not help the Korean Peninsula (the situation) in any way, but only encourages North Korea to take correspondingly strong measures.”
Dazigang, director of the Institute for Northeast Asian Studies at the Heilongjiang Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times, “The US sending a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to the Korean Peninsula will only escalate tension in the region.”
“The deployment of US nuclear aircraft carriers on the Korean Peninsula suggests that South Korea may seek ways to share US strategic assets or nuclear forces,” Da said.
China has expressed its negative stance, saying that the recent South Korea-U.S. joint military exercises could provoke North Korea.
Geng Shuang, China’s deputy ambassador to the United Nations, mentioned at a UN Security Council meeting held on the 20th that unprecedented large-scale joint military exercises have recently been carried out on the Korean Peninsula and its surrounding areas, as well as plans to expand the deployment of strategic weapons. The situation has escalated like this by further adding to the anxiety,” he insisted.
Geng also stressed that “tension and confrontation on the Korean Peninsula are rising, and China is concerned about this.”
Meanwhile, the 11th US Carrier Strike Group, including the USS Nimitz, arrived at the Busan Base of Operations on the morning of the 28th. The US aircraft carrier strike group’s visit to Korea this time is the first in six months since the US 5th aircraft carrier strike group, including the USS Ronald Reagan, entered Busan in September of last year.
The 11th Carrier Strike Group, together with ROKS Sejong the Great (DDG-991) and Choi Young-ham (DDH-981) of the ROK Navy in the high seas south of Jeju the day before the arrival in port, strengthened the ROK-U.S. combined practical training (FTX) ‘Shield of the Warrior’ As part of (WS) training, joint maritime training has been conducted.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.