Earlier quoted context omitted.
You are approaching this from the wrong direction. Air forces, navies, and drones cannot conquer a country. For that, you need ground forces with plenty of heavy equipment. Which can only cross the sea in slow and vulnerable ships. To stop them, you need long-distance firepower with large enough warheads. A carrier strike group is the least vulnerable way of delivering such firepower. The job of a carrier strike grou…
So how will the carrier strike groups be used? Sink Chinese navy ships? That's one step up the escalation ladder. China will reciprocate with sinking some escort ships of the carrier groups, just to make a point and demonstrate their hypersonics. Another step up the escalation ladder. At which point, the carrier groups either back off to de-escalate and avoid losing a capital ship. Or stay there and continue the esca…
If the deterrent works and China does not invade due to the risk of a major war, it's the best-case outcome. If it fails and a war breaks out, massive casualties are likely. Wars are usually not as one-sided as the ones the US has fought in the past decades. But it would not be WW3, as most countries have no reasons to get involved.