Since President Trump has taken office, a total of three patrols have occurred in the area.
The Pentagon is now scheduling naval patrols in the South China Sea in order to establish a more prominent presence in the region as relations between the U. S. and China become more tense.
This naval patrol schedule is unprecedented and departs from standard military operations in the area during the less structured planning during Obama administration, when many of these naval patrols were canceled or postponed over political issues.
U. S. officials confirmed that the U. S. Pacific Command will be executing „freedom-of-navigation operations“ approximately two or three times each month in an attempt to confront the Chinese amid their claims regarding sovereignty over the South China Sea islands and surrounding waters, according to the Wall Street Journal.
