The US has sustained a high-intensity military presence in the South China Sea and nearby areas, but the frequency of deployed platforms has plateaued over the past year, according to a Chinese think tank report released Tuesday.
A Chinese military affairs expert warned that overextension of the US military activities may increase the risk of accidents.
In 2024, the US military continued to strengthen its military deterrence against China, maintaining high-intensity operations including close-in reconnaissance, Taiwan Strait transits, forward presence, strategic cruising, military exercises, and drills.
The US military has gone to great lengths to intensify its presence and activities in the South China Sea, but it has hit its peacetime peak due to an “increment bottleneck” in platform quantity and distractions such as the Red Sea crisis.