Britain reaffirms Asia 'tilt' as new warship makes Singapore stop
The Peninsula
Singapore: Britain's new aircraft carrier the HMS Queen Elizabeth made a stop in Singapore on Monday, 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 UK's intent to tilt here and have an increased footprint, and much more persistent presence," strike group commander, Commodore Steve Moorhouse, told Reuters aboard the new 65,000-tonne vessel.
