* China remains determined to claim sovereignty over international waters in the western Pacific
* Strategic importance of the U.S. alliance with Japan, Taiwan, and the Philippines
* Large-deck aircraft carrier an important interment in projecting American seapower
* U.S. Navy not prepared to counter Russian maritime buildup in the eastern Mediterranean
Caption
Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks to reporters after watching people board a repatriation flight bound for Colombia in Panama City on February 3, 2025. (Mark Schiefelbein/AFP via Getty Images)