Japan spots Chinese navy’s show of force in west Pacific amid maritime row
The Liaoning and Shandong aircraft carriers are seen near two Japanese islands, with their presence signalling a message to Tokyo
The Liaoning – Beijing’s first aircraft carrier – and at least three accompanying warships were spotted on Saturday around 300km (186 miles) southwest of Minamitori, a remote Japanese island in the western Pacific, which serves as a bulwark for Tokyo to assert its maritime claims.
The group, which includes two guided-missile destroyers and a fast combat support ship, appeared to be conducting air operations, with fighter jets and helicopters landing on and taking off from the carrier on Sunday, national broadcaster NHK reported. Analysts believe the fleet may have been accompanied by a Chinese submarine.
Japan’s defence ministry later confirmed that a second Chinese carrier, the Shandong, was operating with support vessels close to Okinotorishima. The group of five warships, including a missile destroyer, was located around 55km (34 miles) southeast of Okinawa’s Miyako Island.
The Shandong carried out flight operations for fighter jets and helicopters within Japan’s exclusive economic zone on Monday, the ministry said, noting it was the first time that two Chinese carrier groups had operated simultaneously in the Pacific.
Asked to comment on the Chinese operations, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters in Tokyo on Monday: “We will do our utmost to perform our warning and surveillance duties at sea and in the air.”