* 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
A worker produces integrated circuit products in a workshop in Weihai, Shandong Province, China, on September 9, 2025. (Getty Images)