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美国军方正通过派出由 "尼米兹 "号航空母舰领导的航母打击群来展示其在南中国海的力量。
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该小组的指挥官克里斯托弗-斯威尼少将说，这次巡航是美国承诺的一部分，即在对全球贸易至关重要的地区的水域和空域维护通行自由。
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斯威尼说，美国将在国际规范和规则允许的地方航行、飞行和作业，并将对此采取坚决的态度。
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美国在南中国海的存在，是每年约3.4万亿美元贸易的渠道，受到日本、韩国、菲律宾和澳大利亚等盟国的欢迎，但继续激怒竞争对手中国，中国认为这些演习是对其后院的挑衅。
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中国声称对几乎整个南中国海拥有历史性的管辖权，其中包括越南、马来西亚、文莱和菲律宾的专属经济区。
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北京也一直在进行定期演习，并在远离其大陆的地方保持大量海岸警卫队和渔船的存在–这是其与邻国关系经常紧张的根源。
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The U.S. military is demonstrating its power in the South China Sea by sending a carrier strike group led by the aircraft carrier Nimitz.
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The group’s commander, Rear Admiral Christopher Sweeney, said that the tour is part of a U.S. commitment to uphold freedom of passage in the waters and airspace of a region vital to global trade.
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Sweeney said that the U.S. will sail, fly, and operate wherever international norms and rules allow and will be resolute about it.
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The U.S. presence in the South China Sea, a conduit for about $3.4 trillion of annual trade, has been welcomed by allies like Japan, South Korea, the Philippines, and Australia but continues to rile rival China, which sees the exercises as provocations in its backyard.
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China claims historic jurisdiction over almost the entire South China Sea, which includes the exclusive economic zones of Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and the Philippines.
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Beijing has been conducting regular exercises too and maintains a large presence of coast guard and fishing vessels far off its mainland - a source of frequent tension with its neighbours.
链接：In Beijing's backyard, U.S. demonstrates its military might | Reuters