- Title: Britain reaffirms Asia 'tilt' as new warship makes Singapore stop
- Date: 11th October 2021
- Summary: SINGAPORE (OCTOBER 11, 2021) (REUTERS) HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH AIRCRAFT CARRIER AT DOCK AT CHANGI NAVAL BASE ELECTRONIC BOARD SHOWING SCROLLING TEXT READING (English): "WELCOME TO HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH" TOWER ON DECK OF QUEEN ELIZABETH BRITISH NAVAL OFFICER WALKING BY FIGHTER JET FIGHTER JETS ON DECK OF QUEEN ELIZABETH BRITISH NAVAL OFFICERS WALKING ON DECK OF QUEEN ELIZABETH NEXT TO FLAG (SOUNDBITE) (English) COMMANDER OF UK CARRIER STRIKE GROUP, COMMODORE STEVE MOORHOUSE, SAYING: "The significance (of) our recent integrated review highlighted the importance of the Indo Pacific and the U.K.'s intent to tilt here and have an increased footprint, and much more persistent presence. And so, you know, what better way to just show that off in the first instance, with Queen Elizabeth deploying here for her first operational deployment." SHIP CREW WALKING BY TOWER ON DECK OF QUEEN ELIZABETH SIGN ON TOWER READING (English): "QUEEN ELIZABETH" DECK OF QUEEN ELIZABETH FIGHTER JETS ON DECK BRITISH FLAG ON QUEEN ELIZABETH AT SUNSET (SOUNDBITE) (English) COMMANDER OF UK CARRIER STRIKE GROUP, COMMODORE STEVE MOORHOUSE, SAYING: "So we've been on a sailed, you know, it's a seven-month deployment, where here it's international by its design. We've been working with seven of the ten ASEAN nations, we visited Japan, Republic of Korea, we've worked with the Canadians, the Australians, New Zealand, so it heralds just how important the region is, and the number of nations that want to work with us, that, you know, view the world the same, want to uphold the same values, want to uphold the same values." BRITISH NAVAL OFFICERS WALKING ON DECK OF QUEEN ELIZABETH NEXT TO FIGHTER JETS AT SUNSET VARIOUS OF BRITISH NAVAL OFFICERS TAKING DOWN FLAG BEFORE NIGHTFALL (SOUNDBITE) (English) COMMANDER OF UK CARRIER STRIKE GROUP, COMMODORE STEVE MOORHOUSE, ON WHETHER HE EXPECTS COUNTERMEASURES FROM CHINA, SAYING: "I don't think so. We've operated through the South China Sea, we've been in the Philippine Sea, and up into the East China Sea. All of our interactions have been safe and professional. You know, it's a big airspace and water there, so we have seen Chinese activity, they've been exercising as they're absolutely able to, and so have we. But there's been no incidents that have caused me any concern." VARIOUS OF FREIGHTERS AT SUNSET SINGAPORE SKYLINE AT SUNSET
- Embargoed: 25th October 2021 15:16
- Keywords: Aukus Britain Changi Naval Base Queen Elizabeth Singapore South China Sea UK aircraft carrier military navy
- Location: SINGAPORE
- City: SINGAPORE
- Country: Singapore
- Topics: Asia / Pacific,Defence,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001EYPQ81Z
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Britain's new aircraft carrier the HMS Queen Elizabeth made a stop in Singapore on Monday (October 11), part of a move to reassert itself globally and boost its military presence in Asia amid rising competition among major powers.
The Queen Elizabeth led a British carrier strike group in exercises with Singapore's military at the weekend, including naval manoeuvres and simulated combat training with F-35B stealth fighters and F-16 jets.
Britain plans to permanently deploy two warships in Asian waters, where the United States and Western allies are trying to contain China's militarisation and island-building in seas vital to the movement of trillions of dollars of global trade.
"Our recent integrated review highlighted the importance of the Indo Pacific and the U.K.'s intent to tilt here and have an increased footprint, and much more persistent presence. And so, you know, what better way to just show that off in the first instance, with Queen Elizabeth deploying here for her first operational deployment," strike group commander, Commodore Steve Moorhouse, told Reuters aboard the new 65,000-tonne (64999 tons) vessel.
Singapore is one of more than 40 countries the strike group will interact with through visits or exercises during its global deployment, according to a British government statement. Britain, like China, now has two aircraft carriers, compared to the United States' 11.
The $4 billion Queen Elizabeth is the largest warship built by the British military and is roughly the length of three soccer fields at 274 metres (900 feet).
The Queen Elizabeth travelled to Japan last month to mark the start of the permanent military presence, which came as the United States, Britain and Australia agreed a trilateral regional defence pact, AUKUS.
In recent years, China has controversially deployed coastguard ships all over the South China Sea and built manmade islands with missile systems, to assert vast territorial claims that an international arbitral ruling has declared invalid.
China earlier this month made the largest ever incursion with its air force into the Taiwan's air defence zone.
(Production: Joseph Campbell) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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