PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii (AP) – When the U.S. wanted to show the world it didn’t recognize what it called China’s “excessive” territorial claims in disputed waters of the South China Sea this fall, it sent a warship near one of Beijing’s newly built artificial reefs.
The move came amid a debate about whether the U.S. has enough ships to meet challenges posed by a fast-growing, increasingly assertive Chinese navy that is unsettling some of its neighbors.
On New Year’s Eve, China announced a long-rumored plan to build its second aircraft carrier, this one with entirely domestic technology.
U.S. Navy officials say vastly improved technology on newer vessels outweighs any disadvantage from a drop in numbers.
Adm. Scott Swift says questions about whether the Pacific Fleet has enough resources are more of a reflection of regional anxieties than its actual capability.