On November 28, the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) aircraft carrier battle group sailed south along the Strait of Malacca and officially entered the waters of the South China Sea. Despite repeated warnings from the Chinese Communist Party, the US aircraft carrier battle group continued to sail as planned, emphasizing its mission of "maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific region." The Lincoln's trip marks a further consolidation of the US military presence in the Indo-Pacific region.

According to the US Navy announcement, the Lincoln strike group has been deployed in the Indo-Pacific region for more than four months. On November 27, the aircraft carrier left Port Klang, Malaysia, and launched its latest operation after reuniting with the destroyer fleet in the Singapore Strait. It is expected that the Lincoln battle group will return to its home port in San Diego, California after completing its mission.

Multinational cooperation and deployment: The United States strengthens the Indo-Pacific alliance

Before entering the South China Sea, the Lincoln aircraft carrier docked in Port Klang, Malaysia on November 23. This is the first time the aircraft carrier has visited Malaysia again in 12 years, aiming to deepen US-Malaysia military cooperation. At the same time, other ships in its battle group were also deployed in a dispersed manner:

**USS Spruance (DDG-111) and USS Michael Murphy (DDG-112)** docked in Phuket, Thailand.

**USS Peterson (DDG-121)** visited Sembawang, Singapore.

These actions were interpreted as the US military strengthening its ties with Indo-Pacific countries through military and civilian exchanges on its way back, demonstrating its importance to the security and stability of the region. Military analysts pointed out that this move is not only a routine deployment, but also a direct response to the CCP's activities in the South China Sea.

Taiwan Strait Overflight: P-8A patrol aircraft highlights the US military's position

As the USS Lincoln entered the South China Sea, the US Navy P-8A maritime patrol aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait on November 26, the third such operation this year. The US statement emphasized that this overflight is in full compliance with international law and is aimed at maintaining freedom of navigation and overflight for all countries.

In response, the Taiwan Ministry of National Defense said that during the P-8A's crossing of the Taiwan Strait from south to north, the Taiwan military monitored the entire process and everything was normal in the sea and air space. The Chinese Communist Party was strongly dissatisfied with the US military's actions, calling it "public hype" and saying that it had sent its navy and air force to track and warn.

China-Japan confrontation: Japan keeps a close eye on the movements of the Chinese Navy

Almost at the same time, the Japanese Self-Defense Forces discovered several Chinese naval vessels in the waters near their country. At 4 a.m. on November 27, the Chinese Xi'an missile destroyer was monitored crossing the waters between Miyako Island and Okinawa and entering the Philippine Sea. The Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force dispatched the supply ship Tankai (AOE-426) and the P-3C anti-submarine patrol aircraft to monitor the entire process.

In addition, in the early morning of November 28, the Chinese Zaozhuang ship crossed the Tsushima Strait and entered the Sea of Japan, and the Japanese First Air Group immediately tracked and monitored it. The Japanese Joint Chiefs of Staff said that the Japanese government is highly vigilant about the activities of Chinese warships entering its contiguous zone one after another, and has taken necessary measures to respond.

The Indo-Pacific situation in the context of the US-China game

The South China Sea operations of the Lincoln aircraft carrier battle group once again highlighted the escalation of the US-China game in the Indo-Pacific region. Most of the US military operations in the South China Sea are in the name of "maintaining freedom of navigation", which is actually aimed at balancing the expansion of the Chinese Communist Party in the South China Sea. In recent years, the South China Sea has become a hot spot in global geopolitics. The Chinese Communist Party has tried to strengthen its sovereignty claims through artificial island construction and military deployment, while the US military has confronted it through freedom of navigation operations, military exercises and other means.

At the same time, Japan, as an important ally of the United States in the Indo-Pacific region, is also increasing its monitoring of the activities of the Chinese Communist Party's navy. The increasing frequency of maritime frictions between China and Japan shows that the tension in the region is not limited to the South China Sea, but also extends to the East China Sea and the waters around Japan.

Potential risks and multilateral games in the Indo-Pacific region

With the actions of the USS Lincoln battle group, the competition between China and the United States over the South China Sea has further intensified. In the short term, the competition between the two sides in the military and diplomatic fields may continue to heat up:

Struggle for influence in countries in the Indo-Pacific region: The United States strengthens the support of regional allies through military deployment and cooperation, while the Chinese Communist Party attempts to expand its influence through economic and military means.

Persistence of maritime disputes: The issue of freedom of navigation in the South China Sea, the East China Sea and the Taiwan Strait will continue to be the focus of competition among major powers.

In the long run, the security landscape in the Indo-Pacific region will continue to evolve amid the competition between China and the United States, and the complex situation of multilateral cooperation and competition will have a profound impact on global stability.