TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The US has two aircraft carriers and an amphibious assault ship in the Western Pacific amid China’s military exercises around Taiwan. 

Fleet tracking data from the US Naval Institute on Dec. 15 showed the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier briefly visited Guam on Dec. 11 before proceeding to the Philippine Sea, southeast of Taiwan, per CNA. The latest update on Monday indicates that the Lincoln has entered the South China Sea for operations.

The Dec. 15 update also showed the USS Tripoli conducting operations in the South China Sea, including F-35B takeoffs and landings. On Dec. 22, it operated in the East China Sea alongside a dock landing ship and a dock transport ship.

The Monday update shows that Tripoli has returned to Sasebo, Japan, after completing its East China Sea mission. The USS George Washington, which arrived in Yokosuka earlier this month, has remained stationed in port.

China’s Eastern Theater Command said on Monday it would conduct its “Justice Mission-2025” exercises around Taiwan, with live-fire drills scheduled for Tuesday in five sea and air zones. The Ministry of National Defense has responded by setting up an emergency operations center and initiating combat readiness drills.