Liaoning and some Chinese warships during training in the South China Sea.
BEIJING - For the first time the South China Sea region to showcase the power of China and the United States (US) at the same time. Beijing deployed one aircraft carrier and 40 more warships, while Washington sent an aircraft carrier fleet.
The Liaoning aircraft carrier along with more than 40 Chinese warships held the largest war drill near Hainan Island, which began Thursday to Wednesday next week. The strength of the Chinese Navy is a combination of the North Sea fleet, East and South.
While Washington showcased the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt, the USS Bunker Hill cruiser ship armed with precision missiles and destroyers USS Sampson. All three are a fleet of combat under the command of Carrier Strike Group 9.
Despite showing off power simultaneously in the South China Sea, the location of US and Chinese maneuvers remained different. Beijing focuses its war exercises near Hainan Island. While Washington show off its power with patrols near the disputed islands.
Beijing's military maneuvers were held during the Asian economic forum being held on Hainan Island, not far from the training site of dozens of war caps.
"China wants to show the outside world its determination to sustain the fruits of economic reforms over the past 40 years," Beijing-based military analyst Zhou Chenming told the South China Morning Post on Friday (6/4/2018).
"Like the US, China's military power is one of the government's political tools to protect the nation's national interests," he said.
As is known, Beijing has claimed almost the entire South China Sea region as its own by the name of the waters known as the "nine-dash line". The vast waters that Beijing claims extend over 1,200 miles from mainland China.
However, the area of water is also claimed Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, and Brunei.
The presence of 40 more Cihna warships near Hainan Island has been monitored by satellites last week. In addition to aircraft carriers and warships, China also sent submarines.
"This will test the actual Liaoning combat power as well as the combined operating skills between aircraft carriers and warships from other fleets," said Beijing naval analyst Li Jie.
Defense Ministry spokesman Ren Guoqiang, calling the Navy a large-scale war exercise is a routine exercise. He hinted that this kind of exercise would take place every month.