Bar none the US Navy is the best fighting surface force on the planet. The concern is the absolutely huge amounts of money going into the CMC (Chinese Military Complex). Given enough money the numbers will over shadow the US capacity to respond. Currently there is no hope in hell the Chinese could stand a chance against a US carrier group. It comes down to numbers and e have to be able to counter that with far superior hardware and technology. The US budget should also mirror the what the Chinese are doing. Playing catchup with hypersonic weapons and their ilk is not a scenario the US wants to be in.
“Bar none the US Navy is the best fighting surface force on the planet.”
Proven by the USN kamikaze attacks on container ships.
All the superior hardware and technology will not overcome the increasingly lack of character we increasingly have overall in American society. And the Chinese are gaining more ground in tech than the West likely is, and we are very much dependent upon tech (like GPS) that the Chinese can interfere with, and has missiles which likely can disable even carriers. And under 50 America is such that it would protest and sue for peace if a few thousand Americans died.
When you fight against God, which the USA has increasingly engaged in then you have an enemy you need to have as your Lord and Savior.
In the open ocean, middle of the Pacific, yes.
Closer to China? They have stealthy missile boats that fire multiple capital shipkiller missiles. LOTS of them. Combine that with the Dong Feng carrier killer missile and a CBG is in trouble.