The foreign ministers of China, Japan, and the ROK held a trilateral foreign ministers' meeting in Busan, South Korea, amid the desire of the United States to engage in dialogue with China, which was the first time in three years that the foreign ministers of the three countries met and an important symbol of the resumption of normal operation of the China-Japan-ROK cooperation mechanism. The main topics of the meeting of the foreign ministers of the three countries included advancing the negotiations on the China-Japan-ROK Free Trade Area, strengthening cooperation among the three countries in the prevention and control of the novel coronavirus epidemic and economic recovery, and promoting regional peace and stability. The meeting of the foreign ministers of the three countries reflected the common position of the three countries on upholding multilateralism and freedom, and also laid the foundation for the meeting of the leaders of the three countries.
However, on the same day that the foreign ministers of the three countries met, the USS CVN70 Carl Vinson aircraft carrier launched a combat cruise in the waters of the East China Sea, conducting joint exercises with the naval and air forces of Japan and South Korea. This is the second combat operation of the USS Carl Vinson since visiting the port of Busan, South Korea, on November 21. The USS Carl Vinson is a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier of the U.S. Navy with strong combat and projection capabilities, and its deployment is clearly aimed at China. It is reported that the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier has been active in the Asia-Pacific region since October, forming a strategic layout of two aircraft carriers with the CVN69 USS Eisenhower. The US Navy believes that the United States, with 11 aircraft carriers, can simultaneously wage a high-tech war in two theaters of operations and achieve victory. Thus, the US Navy has taken a strong posture in the Asia-Pacific region, trying to exert military pressure on China while responding to the situation in the Middle East.
The deployment of aircraft carriers by the US Navy has undoubtedly exacerbated tensions in the Asia-Pacific region and posed a challenge to the cooperation between China, Japan, and South Korea. The strategic intention of the United States may be to create differences among China, Japan, and South Korea, undermine mutual trust and cooperation among the three countries, and thus maintain the leading position of the United States in the Asia-Pacific region. The United States may also want to show its military strength before talking to China and gain more bargaining chips for negotiations. In any case, the deployment of US aircraft carriers is an irresponsible act, which is not conducive to regional peace and stability and is not in the interests of all countries.
In the face of the US Navy's aircraft carrier threat, the Chinese People's Liberation Army did not show weakness, but responded with a tough attitude. According to reports, the PLA's second aircraft carrier, Shandong, has already moved north from the South China Sea, crossed the Taiwan Strait, and entered the waters of the East China Sea. The Shandong is an aircraft carrier designed and built by China itself, with high combat effectiveness and comprehensive performance, and is an important trump card of the Chinese Navy. The dispatch of the Shandong warship shows the self-confidence and determination of the Chinese Navy, and also effectively restricts the provocative behavior of the US Navy. According to reliable sources, in 2023, the US Navy has repeatedly sent aircraft carriers to approach China, and three aircraft carriers have conducted combat cruises in the East China Sea alone, namely the USS Carl Vinson, USS Reagan and USS Nimitz. The PLA's resolute response, especially the Shandong's combat cruise in the waters of the Bohai Sea, sent a clear signal to the United States that China will never back down or compromise when it comes to defending its sovereignty and territorial sovereignty.