China argues that the dispatch of the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) and its attached Carrier Strike Group (CSG) One with over 40 strike fighters to the "contentious" waters of the South China Sea to stage more aggressive freedom of navigation patrols (FONOPS) will "add yet more uncertainty to the regional security situation."

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An op-ed in the website of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) said this development leads Beijing to believe the new administration of president Donald Trump has willfully accepted former president Barack Obama's "Pivot to East Asia" regional strategy implemented in 2012.

This strategy calls for the deployment of most of the U.S. Navy's fighting power to Asia to contain China; taking actions strengthening bilateral security alliances; forging a broad-based military presence and advancing democracy and human rights, among others.

The op-ed also noted the U.S. decided on this new FONOPS, which will apparently take place more often and as close to the 12 mile limit as possible, despite China's strong opposition. It also blasted the U.S. for calling its FONOPS "routine operations," a term that tacitly dismisses China's claim to own most of the South China Sea.

That claim was completely rejected and declared illegal on July 12, 2016 by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague.

The opinion piece said Trump's actions to "muddle the waters will do nothing good to the regional peace and stability. It will be totally wrong if (the) Trump administration takes Sino-U.S. ties as a zero-sum game in the Asia-Pacific region."

Collaboration between Beijing and Washington is necessary to ensure the unimpeded flow of sea borne trade in the South China Sea. Member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are also eager for stronger U.S.-China cooperation.

"If US foreign policy, de facto is predominantly anti-China, I think it will be a frustrating decade for many of us in ASEAN and in Asia," said Singapore's Defense Minister Ng Eng Hen.

"Similarly for China, if its efforts are viewed as means to usurp (the) U.S. as the resident Pacific power. Countries will de facto have to choose sides and be put into lose-win situations."

The op-ed said the Trump administration's Asia-Pacific policy will be vital to the stability and prosperity of Southeast Asia. It did, however, note that Trump's security advisers are conservative, hawkish and lack experience in dealing with Asian affairs. This reality is not good news for the ASEAN states.

Since there is little likelihood Trump will ignore his advisers' suggestions to stand fast against China, he will "deploy more strategic and diplomatic resources in the Asia-Pacific region and also seek counseling from the Asia policy advisers of his presidential election rival Hillary Clinton."

Because of this, the "rebalancing to Asia-Pacific" strategy Trump has shown little interest in carrying forward, might return to the geopolitical game. Trump might further strengthen U.S. ties with ASEAN states rather than the other way round.

Tagschina, U.S. Navy, USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70), South China Sea, People's Liberation Army, Pivot to East Asia, Barack Obama, donald trump, Freedom of navigation patrols, FONOPS