US Aircraft Carrier George Washington Arrives Off Philippine Capital Amid Regional Naval Tensions

The US Navy's nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS George Washington has arrived off the Philippine capital Manila for a port visit and has been conducting routine patrols in the West Philippine Sea to demonstrate the US commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. This deployment coincides with China’s first domestically produced aircraft carrier, the Shandong, entering Hong Kong after completing combat drills in the western Pacific, highlighting rising naval activities in the region. The US and the Philippines, bound by a 1951 mutual defense treaty, have deepened their military cooperation through frequent maritime exercises and joint coast guard drills aimed at countering China's expansive claims over the South China Sea. Commanding officer Captain Timothy Waits emphasized that the carrier's presence reflects shared values and is part of ongoing operational commitments rather than a direct response to Chinese naval activity. About 5% of the USS George Washington's crew are Filipino-Americans, underscoring the close ties between the two countries. The deployment underscores the strategic importance of the South China Sea, a vital route for global maritime trade claimed largely by Beijing despite international rulings invalidating those claims.