March 23, 2024 (EIRNS)—A report was released by the South China Sea Strategic Situation Probing Initiative (SCSPI) at a press conference in Beijing on March 22, documenting the level of U.S. military harassment of China in the South China Sea. This included, in 2023: about 1,000 sorties by U.S. large reconnaissance aircraft; 8 U.S. carrier strike groups and amphibious ready groups; at least 11 nuclear-powered attack submarines and 2 nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines; 6 “freedom of navigation operations” by U.S. Navy ships that trespassed waters off Chinese islands and reefs in the South China Sea, and made 6 transits in the Taiwan Strait; and many drone flights.