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SALT LAKE CITY -- China and the United States have been bristling over international shipping lanes in the South China Sea.
Late last week, China's premier told a meeting of Southeast Asian nations that "external forces should not use any excuse to interfere" in territorial disputes in the sea.
The South China Sea has some of the world's busiest shipping lanes including half of the world's oil and gas traffic. The U.S. has ensured it will maintain a presence in the South China Sea, angering China.
"We're out here to ensure that international waters stay international," said Lt. Cmdr. Dave Hecht on board the USS George Washington, the aircraft carrier charged with patrolling parts of the Western Pacific.
Also aboard the USS George Washington is Master at Arms 2nd Class Nicholas Blanchard, a South Jordan native and a graduate of Copper Hills High School.
KSL spoke to the active duty sailor by phone last night as the USS George Washington was docking at its port in Yokosuka-shi, Kanagawa, Japan.
"(My girlfriend is) waiting down there for me. So, I'm pretty excited to get down there and hug and kiss her," Blanchard said.
Blanchard has been patrolling aboard the USS George Washington since September 2010.
"I work security on the ship. We enforce rules and regulations. And we secure areas of the ship," the 33-year old said.
It's a large undertaking, considering the nuclear powered aircraft carrier is a "floating hotel at sea." The USS George Washington contains a full-service hospital, a police department, fire department, a chapel, six gyms, five dining halls, and, of course, a fully-functioning airport.
"It's like a small city here," Blanchard said.
There are more than 5,500 people on board at any given time; 3,100 sailors ensure the ship operates smoothly with another 2,400 attached to the air wing.
"It's exciting being on board an aircraft carrier but at the same time it's no different than being on board a floating city," Hecht said.
"It's a different experience living hand in hand with everybody you work with," added Blanchard.
Blanchard, who estimates he spends nine months out of the year at sea, will spend the next few days on land.
"I'm hoping to get into Tokyo and see some sights in Japan," said Blanchard.
And soon, he'll be back to Utah to visit for Christmas.
"Oh, I miss the snow. I love skiing," he said.
