This week, China’s military shared footage highlighting a close encounter between a Chinese aircraft carrier group and a Japanese warship in the Western Pacific Ocean. These interactions have become more frequent as China’s navy expands its operations beyond coastal waters. U.S. defense planners often refer to these areas as the first island chain.
The Chinese military accused Japanese ships and planes of engaging in “close-in tracking, surveillance, harassment, and provocations” during the Liaoning carrier group’s 40-day deployment in the South China Sea and the Philippine Sea. The Chinese responded professionally to what they term Japan’s “dangerous actions.” However, Japan has not publicly commented on this incident, and the Japanese Defense Ministry has yet to respond to written requests for comments.
This encounter occurred amidst strained relations between Beijing and Tokyo. The tensions are fueled by Japan’s military modernization efforts, supported by the U.S., which China views as reminiscent of Japan’s past military expansion.
The Liaoning, China’s first operational aircraft carrier, has been in service since 2012. China released a video showing the Liaoning returning to Qingdao, its homeport, after completing “far-seas combat training.” State media footage depicted the Liaoning carrier group being monitored by the Japanese destroyer JS Asahi and patrolled by Japanese navy planes.
The Japanese Defense Ministry’s Joint Staff Office monitored the Chinese carrier group as it entered the Philippine Sea in mid-May. The Liaoning and its escorts joined the area shortly thereafter. By early June, the Liaoning strike group had conducted several operations involving carrier jets and helicopters east of the Philippines. On June 20, reports confirmed that the Japanese destroyer Asahi monitored the Liaoning as it headed back to the East China Sea.
A state-owned Chinese newspaper, China Daily, reported another encounter involving a Chinese fighter jet and a U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol plane. It showed a J-15 fighter jet allegedly monitoring the U.S. aircraft, though details and dates were not provided. The U.S. Pacific Command did not comment on the matter.
This recent deployment was the Liaoning’s first in the broader Pacific since December. Last year, China deployed both the Liaoning and the Shandong in the Philippine Sea. The latest deployment involved various exercises such as combat training, carrier aircraft drills, and search and rescue operations.
The Chinese navy stated that the training aligns with international laws and practices, emphasizing it is not directed at any specific country.
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