US deploys two aircraft carriers to South China Sea as China sends warplanes over Taiwan
Two US aircraft carrier groups are conducting training drills in the South China Sea (SCS) even as the Chinese flew 39 aircraft into Taiwan's Air Defence Zone. US Navy's aircraft carriers—USS Carl Vinson and USS Abraham Lincoln, accompanied by other battleships began exercises in the SCS on Sunday. A statement by the US Navy said that the carrier groups “will engage in joint operations to include enhanced maritime communication operations, anti-submarine warfare operations, air warfare operations, replenishments-at-sea, cross-deck flight operations and maritime interdiction operations to strengthen maritime integrated-at-sea operations and combat readiness". The statement by the Department of Defence said that the training will be conducted in accordance with international law in international waters. The two aircraft carrier groups had earlier conducted naval exercises in the Philippine Sea with the Japanese Navy. These exercises were conducted southeast of the Japanese