The United States Navy’s aircraft carrier USS George Washington conducted patrol in the West Philippine Sea to ensure an open and free Indo-Pacific region.

“We share the values of open and free Pacific Indo-Pacific region that’s why we’re out here. We know the importance of this theater or this region,” USS George Washington commanding officer Captain Timothy Waitts said.

“It’s a vast region, many nations, most of them with coastline. The importance of the open and free sea lanes just from a commercial aspect alone is important to them. It’s important to us and in that way we share those values,” he added.

Waitts said that the USS George Washington generally works with other ships although he did not specify other US assets present in the West Philippine Sea.

“I won’t speak to force composition and that sort of stuff. I mean, we are part of the strike group. We generally work in the vicinity or work with the strike group ships that come out and as part of the strike group escorts whatever you want to call it,” he said.

Tensions continue as Beijing claims almost all of the South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion of annual shipborne commerce, including parts claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei.

Parts of the South China Sea that fall within Philippine territory have been renamed by the government as the West Philippine Sea to reinforce the country’s claim.

The West Philippine Sea refers to the maritime areas on the western side of the Philippine archipelago, including the Luzon Sea and the waters around, within, and adjacent to the Kalayaan Island Group and Bajo de Masinloc.