The USS George Washington, a nuclear-powered supercarrier, docked in Manila Bay in the Philippines on Thursday (October 25) for a goodwill visit.<br/> <br />The visit is aimed at enhancing ties between the two allied countries through community relations projects and exchanges between troops.<br/> <br />It traversed disputed areas of the South China Sea, where China and four Southeast Asian countries are locked in sovereignty claims over territories believed to be rich in oil and gas.<br/> <br />The USS George Washington was the fourth of its kind to make a port call in the Philippines this year.<br/> <br />The supercarrier can accommodate 80 aircraft and 6,250 crew members. In 2011, it took part in disaster relief operations following the tsunami in Japan.
