China has warned the UK's Carrier Strike Group, led by HMS Queen Elizabeth, against any 'improper acts' as it enters the contested South China Sea. The pro-government Global Times, seen as a mouthpiece for the Chinese Communist Party, stated that the People's Liberation Army Navy is at a 'high state of combat readiness'.
The Royal Navy group, currently sailing en route to Japan, has been closely monitored by China, which accused Britain of 'still living in its colonial days'. Britain's Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has indicated plans to conduct a 'Freedom of Navigation' exercise through the sea, challenging China's claims based on a 2016 international court ruling.
Analysts suggest a repeat of previous encounters, such as in 2018 when HMS Albion was shadowed by a Chinese warship from 200 metres away and warned to leave. The PLA Navy is likely to use the presence of the UK carrier group for practice and study, according to the Global Times.
While Beijing has issued angry words, experts like Sidharth Kaushal of the Royal United Services Institute note that China's actions have been calibrated below the threshold of starting a shooting war. The deployment is part of the UK's bid for a more prominent global security role, as outlined in its Integrated Review.
