* China remains determined to claim sovereignty over international waters in the western Pacific
* Strategic importance of the U.S. alliance with Japan, Taiwan, and the Philippines
* Large-deck aircraft carrier an important interment in projecting American seapower
* U.S. Navy not prepared to counter Russian maritime buildup in the eastern Mediterranean

Caption
Alaskan Governor Mike Dunleavy delivers remarks at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, on September 11, 2023. (Getty Images)