Latest news with #PacificOperations
The Independent
a day ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Why 2 Chinese aircraft carriers are operating in the Pacific together for the first time
Japan this week confirmed that two Chinese aircraft carriers have operated together for the first time in the Pacific, fueling Tokyo's concern about Beijing's rapidly expanding military activity far beyond its borders. Aircraft carriers are critical to projecting power at a distance. China routinely sends coast guard vessels, warships and warplanes to areas around the disputed East China Sea islands, but now it is going as far as what's called the second-island chain that includes Guam — a U.S. territory. A single Chinese carrier has ventured into the Pacific in the past, but never east of that chain until now. Here's what to know about the latest moves by China, which has the world's largest navy numerically. How the carriers operated Japan's Defense Ministry said the two carriers, the Liaoning and the Shandong, were seen separately but almost simultaneously operating near southern islands in the Pacific for the first time. Both operated in waters off Iwo Jima, about 1,200 kilometers (750 miles) south of Tokyo, Defense Minister Gen Nakatani said Monday. The Liaoning also sailed inside Japan's exclusive economic zone of Minamitorishima, the country's easternmost island. There was no violation of Japanese territorial waters. Still, Nakatani said Japan has expressed 'concern' to the Chinese embassy. Both carriers had warplanes take off and land. Late Wednesday, Japan's Defense Ministry said a Chinese J-15 fighter jet that took off from the Shandong on Saturday chased a Japanese P-3C aircraft on reconnaissance duty in the area and came within an 'abnormally close distance' of 45 meters (50 yards). The Chinese jet on Sunday crossed 900 meters (980 yards) in front of the Japanese P-3C, the ministry said, adding it has strongly requested China to take measures to prevent such an 'abnormal approach' that could cause accidental collisions. Why Japan is worried China's military buildup and expanding area of activity have raised tensions in the region. The Chinese carriers sailed past the first-island chain, the Pacific archipelago off the Asian mainland that includes Japan, Taiwan and part of the Philippines. The Liaoning reached farther to the second-island chain, a strategic line extending to Guam, showing China also can challenge Japan's ally, the United States. 'China apparently aims to elevate its capability of the two aircraft carriers, and to advance its operational capability of the distant sea and airspace," Nakatani said. The defense minister vowed to further strengthen Japan's air defense on remote islands. Japan has been accelerating its military buildup especially since 2022, including counter-strike capability, with long-range cruise missiles as deterrence to China. China's navy is growing China's navy on Tuesday confirmed the deployments, calling it part of routine training in the western Pacific 'to test their capabilities in far seas protection and joint operations." It said the deployment was in compliance with international laws and not targeted at any country. China is pursuing a vast military modernization program including ambitions of a true 'blue-water' naval force capable of operating at long ranges for extended periods. Beijing has the world's largest navy numerically but lags far behind the United States in its number of aircraft carriers. China has three, the U.S. 11. Washington's numerical advantage allows it to keep a carrier, currently the USS George Washington, permanently forward-deployed to Japan. The Pentagon has expressed concern over Beijing's focus on building new carriers. Its latest report to Congress on Chinese defense developments noted that it "extends air defense coverage of deployed task groups beyond the range of land-based defenses, enabling operations farther from China's shore.' The carriers' abilities The two Chinese carriers currently in the western Pacific employ the older 'ski-jump' launch method for aircraft, with a ramp at the end of a short runway to assist planes taking off. China's first carrier, the Liaoning, was a repurposed Soviet ship. The second, the Shandong, was built in China along the Soviet design. Its third carrier, the Fujian, launched in 2022 and is undergoing final sea trials. It is expected to be operational later this year. It is locally designed and built and employs a more modern, electromagnetic-type launch system like those developed and used by the U.S. All three ships are conventionally powered, while all the U.S. carriers are nuclear powered, giving them the ability to operate at much greater range and more power to run advanced systems. Satellite imagery provided to The Associated Press last year indicated China is working on a nuclear propulsion system for its carriers. China's other naval actions In August, a Chinese reconnaissance aircraft violated Japan's airspace off the southern prefecture of Nagasaki, and a Chinese survey ship violated Japanese territorial waters off another southern prefecture, Kagoshima. In September, the Liaoning and two destroyers sailed between Japan's westernmost island of Yonaguni — just east of Taiwan — and nearby Iriomote, entering an area just outside Japan's territorial waters where the country has some control over maritime traffic. China routinely sends coast guard vessels and aircraft into waters and airspace surrounding the Japanese-controlled, disputed East China Sea islands to harass Japanese vessels in the area, forcing Japan to scramble jets. Tokyo also worries about China's increased joint military activities with Russia, including joint operations of warplanes or warships around northern and southwestern Japan in recent years. ___
Reuters
a day ago
- Politics
- Reuters
Chinese fighter jets flew unusually close to Japanese patrol planes
TOKYO, June 12 (Reuters) - Chinese fighter jets flew unusually close to Japanese military patrol planes over the weekend as two Chinese aircraft carriers operated in the Pacific Ocean for the first time, Japan's defence ministry said on Thursday. On Saturday, a Chinese J-15 jet from the aircraft carrier Shandong chased a Japanese P-3C patrol aircraft for about 40 minutes, the ministry said. On Sunday, a J-15 chased a P-3C for 80 minutes, crossing in front of the Japanese aircraft at a distance of only 900 meters (2,950 feet), it said. At one point on both days, a Chinese J-15 flew as close as 45 meters to a Japanese aircraft, the ministry said. The P-3C aircraft, belonging to Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force based in the island of Okinawa, were conducting surveillance over international waters in the Pacific, the ministry said. "Such abnormal approaches by Chinese military aircraft could potentially cause accidental collisions, and we have expressed serious concern and strongly requested prevention of recurrence," the ministry said, attaching close-up images of the J-15 jet it took on Sunday. Earlier this week, Tokyo said the Shandong and another Chinese carrier the Liaoning were conducting simultaneous operations in the Pacific for the first time, describing it as a move signifying Beijing's intention to further widen its capabilities beyond its borders. Beijing on Tuesday said the operations were a "routine training" exercise that did not target specific countries. In 2014, Tokyo said it spotted Chinese military aircraft flying as close as 30 metres to its military aircraft over the East China Sea and protested to Beijing.
Arab News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Arab News
2 Chinese aircraft carriers are operating in the Pacific for the first time. Why?
TOKYO: Japan this week confirmed that two Chinese aircraft carriers have operated together for the first time in the Pacific, fueling Tokyo's concern about Beijing's rapidly expanding military activity far beyond its borders. Carriers are considered critical to projecting power at a distance. China routinely sends coast guard vessels, warships and warplanes to areas around the disputed East China Sea islands, but now it is going as far as what's called the second-island chain that includes Guam — a US territory. A single Chinese carrier has ventured into the Pacific in the past, but never east of that chain until now. Here's what to know about the latest moves by China, which has the world's largest navy numerically. What happened? Japan's Defense Ministry said the two carriers, the Liaoning and the Shandong, were seen separately but almost simultaneously operating near southern islands in the Pacific for the first time. Both operated in waters off Iwo Jima, about 1,200 kilometers (750 miles) south of Tokyo, Defense Minister Gen Nakatani said Monday. The Liaoning also sailed inside Japan's exclusive economic zone of Minamitorishima, the country's easternmost island. There was no violation of Japanese territorial waters. Still, Nakatani said Japan has expressed 'concern' to the Chinese embassy. Both carriers had warplanes take off and land. Late Wednesday, Japan's Defense Ministry said a Chinese J-15 fighter jet that took off from the Shandong on Saturday chased a Japanese P-3C aircraft on reconnaissance duty in the area and came within an 'abnormally close distance' of 45 meters (50 yards). The Chinese jet on Sunday crossed 900 meters (980 yards) in front of the Japanese P-3C, the ministry said, adding it has strongly requested China to take measures to prevent such an 'abnormal approach' that could cause accidental collisions. Why is Japan worried? China's military buildup and expanding area of activity have raised tensions in the region. The Chinese carriers sailed past the first-island chain, the Pacific archipelago off the Asian mainland that includes Japan, Taiwan and part of the Philippines. The Liaoning reached farther to the second-island chain, a strategic line extending to Guam, showing China also can challenge Japan's ally, the United States. 'China apparently aims to elevate its capability of the two aircraft carriers, and to advance its operational capability of the distant sea and airspace,' Nakatani said. The defense minister vowed to further strengthen Japan's air defense on remote islands. Japan has been accelerating its military buildup especially since 2022, including counter-strike capability, with long-range cruise missiles as deterrence to China. What does China want? China's navy on Tuesday confirmed the deployments, calling it part of routine training in the western Pacific 'to test their capabilities in far seas protection and joint operations.' It said the deployment was in compliance with international laws and not targeted at any country. China is pursuing a vast military modernization program including ambitions of a true 'blue-water' naval force capable of operating at long ranges for extended periods. Beijing has the world's largest navy numerically but lags far behind the United States in its number of aircraft carriers. China has three, the US 11. Washington's numerical advantage allows it to keep a carrier, currently the USS George Washington, permanently forward-deployed to Japan. The Pentagon has expressed concern over Beijing's focus on building new carriers. Its latest report to Congress on Chinese defense developments noted that it 'extends air defense coverage of deployed task groups beyond the range of land-based defenses, enabling operations farther from China's shore.' What are the carriers' abilities? The two Chinese carriers currently in the western Pacific employ the older 'ski-jump' launch method for aircraft, with a ramp at the end of a short runway to assist planes taking off. China's first carrier, the Liaoning, was a repurposed Soviet ship. The second, the Shandong, was built in China along the Soviet design. Its third carrier, the Fujian, launched in 2022 and is undergoing final sea trials. It is expected to be operational later this year. It is locally designed and built and employs a more modern, electromagnetic-type launch system like those developed and used by the US All three ships are conventionally powered, while all the US carriers are nuclear powered, giving them the ability to operate at much greater range and more power to run advanced systems. Satellite imagery provided to The Associated Press last year indicated China is working on a nuclear propulsion system for its carriers. Any other recent concerns? In August, a Chinese reconnaissance aircraft violated Japan's airspace off the southern prefecture of Nagasaki, and a Chinese survey ship violated Japanese territorial waters off another southern prefecture, Kagoshima. In September, the Liaoning and two destroyers sailed between Japan's westernmost island of Yonaguni — just east of Taiwan — and nearby Iriomote, entering an area just outside Japan's territorial waters where the country has some control over maritime traffic. China routinely sends coast guard vessels and aircraft into waters and airspace surrounding the Japanese-controlled, disputed East China Sea islands to harass Japanese vessels in the area, forcing Japan to scramble jets. Tokyo also worries about China's increased joint military activities with Russia, including joint operations of warplanes or warships around northern and southwestern Japan in recent years.
Japan Times
2 days ago
- Business
- Japan Times
Chinese aircraft carriers in Pacific show Beijing's 'expansionist' aims, Taiwan says
The two Chinese aircraft carriers spotted conducting simultaneous operations in the Pacific for the first time send a political message about the country's "expansionist" aims, Taiwanese Defense Minister Wellington Koo said Wednesday. Japan's defense chief said the previous day that the appearance of the Chinese aircraft carriers signified Beijing's intention to further widen its capabilities beyond its borders. Koo said the armed forces had a "full grasp" of the carriers' movements. "Crossing from the 'first island chain' into the 'second island chain' sends a definite political message and their expansionist nature can be seen," he told reporters in Taipei. The first island chain refers to an area that runs from Japan down to Taiwan, the Philippines and Borneo, while the second island chain spreads further out into the Pacific to include places like the U.S. territory of Guam. China's navy, which has been honing its abilities to operate farther and farther from the country's coast, said on Tuesday the carrier operations were a "routine training" exercise that did not target specific countries or regions. China operates two carriers, with a third undergoing sea trials. Taiwan, which China views as its own territory, keeps a close watch on Chinese military movements given the regular drills and war games Beijing stages around the island, and has been modernizing its weapons to better face the People's Liberation Army. Taiwan Air Force Chief of Staff Lee Ching-jan, speaking to lawmakers later on Wednesday, said a dozen or so of 66 Lockheed Martin F-16V fighter jets ordered from the United States should arrive this year, with the rest in 2026. "The U.S. side was optimistic about next year's scheduled delivery at last month's meeting on the project, and was very optimistic about the delivery of more than 10 aircraft this year," he said. Taiwan has complained about delivery delays for the jets, which have advanced avionics, weapons and radar systems to better face down the Chinese Air Force, including its J-20 stealth fighter. Since May, China has been flexing its muscles by sending an unusually large number of naval and coast guard vessels through a swathe of East Asian waters, according to security documents and officials, in moves that have unnerved regional capitals. Japan's Defense Ministry confirmed the two carriers, Liaoning and Shandong, were operating in separate areas of the Pacific on Saturday, both near remote southern islands belonging to Japan. Earlier, Japan said the Liaoning sailed within its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) near Minamitorishima, a remote island east of Iwo Jima.
CNA
2 days ago
- Politics
- CNA
Chinese carriers in Pacific show country's 'expansionist' aims, Taiwan says
TAIPEI: The two Chinese aircraft carriers spotted conducting simultaneous operations in the Pacific for the first time send a political message about the country's "expansionist" aims, Taiwan Defence Minister Wellington Koo said on Wednesday (Jun 11). Japan's defence minister said the previous day that the appearance of the Chinese aircraft carriers signified Beijing's intention to further widen its capabilities beyond its borders. Koo said the armed forces had a "full grasp" of the carriers' movements. "Crossing from the first island chain into the second island chain sends a definite political message and their expansionist nature can be seen," he told reporters in Taipei. The first island chain refers to an area that runs from Japan down to Taiwan, the Philippines and Borneo, while the second island chain spreads further out into the Pacific to include places like the US territory of Guam. China's navy, which has been honing its abilities to operate further and further from the country's coast, said on Tuesday the carrier operations were a "routine training" exercise that did not target specific countries or regions. Taiwan, which China views as its own territory, keeps a close watch on Chinese military movements given the regular drills and war games Beijing stages around the island. Since May, China has been flexing its muscles by sending an unusually large number of naval and coast guard vessels through a swathe of East Asian waters, according to security documents and officials, in moves that have unnerved regional capitals. Japan's defence ministry confirmed the two carriers, Liaoning and Shandong, were operating in separate areas in the Pacific on Saturday, both near remote southern islands belonging to Japan.
