Latest news with #AircraftCarriers
Japan Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Japan Times
In rare move, Japan releases map showing Chinese aircraft carrier activities
The Japanese Defense Ministry has made the rare decision to release a map depicting the movements of the Chinese military's two aircraft carriers in recent weeks — an unusual effort apparently aimed at drawing attention to Beijing's naval activities in the Pacific. China's two operating carriers were spotted conducting simultaneous operations in the Pacific for the first time last week, in what Japanese defense officials have said is a significant expansion of Chinese naval activities. The ministry released the map late Tuesday detailing the Chinese carriers' positions from May 25 through Monday in order to highlight the unusual duration of their operations. It is rare for the ministry to disclose the movements of foreign warships. The map shows the Liaoning, China's first aircraft carrier, making a circuitous route that took it through the Miyako Strait, into the Pacific Ocean and ultimately inside the exclusive economic zone of Japan's easternmost Minamitorishima island for the first time before sailing west. It also shows China's second carrier, the Shandong, entering the Pacific through the Bashi Channel that separates Taiwan and the Philippines before entering the EEZ around Japan's Okinotorishima island and circling the far-flung islet. It also details the carrier's location when fighter jets from the vessel risked collisions with Maritime Self-Defense Force P-3C surveillance planes in two close encounters earlier this month. A screenshot of a map released by the Japanese Defense Ministry depicting the movements of the Chinese military's two aircraft carriers in recent weeks As of Tuesday, the two Chinese vessels were in the Pacific sailing toward China. In a document accompanying the map, the Defense Ministry also detailed that fighter jets and helicopters based on the Chinese aircraft carriers had conducted 520 landings and takeoffs over the nine days through Monday. The Liaoning launched and landed aircraft about 290 times from June 8, while the Shandong saw about 230 such operations from June 9. At a news conference Friday, Defense Minister Gen Nakatani stressed that Tokyo would seek to highlight Chinese military activities amid concerns that Beijing is seeking to erode the status quo in the area. 'We intend to continue to publicize information obtained through surveillance and monitoring activities in a timely and appropriate manner, demonstrating that Japan is conducting seamless information gathering and surveillance,' Nakatani said. 'This will demonstrate Japan's desire and ability to deter unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force or other such actions.' Japanese defense officials say that China is working to improve the operational capabilities of the two aircraft carriers in the waters and airspace in the Pacific Ocean as part of a strategy that aims to prevent the U.S. and Japanese militaries from intervening in a potential conflict over democratic Taiwan. China claims the self-ruled island as its own and has vowed to unite it with the mainland, by force if necessary. Defense ministry officials believe that the recent sailings by the Liaoning and Shandong carriers may have been intended to practice countering U.S. forces in the event of a Taiwan contingency, with one playing the role of a U.S. aircraft carrier and the other practicing intercepting it. Pointing to the growing threat China's exercises in the areas represent, Gen. Yoshihide Yoshida, chief of staff of the Self-Defense Forces' Joint Staff, told a news conference last week that the moves had triggered concern. 'Our sense of crisis has heightened,' he said. 'We recognize that if we relax the surveillance and monitoring measures ... there is a high possibility that unilateral changes to the status quo could become established facts,' Yoshida said. 'Therefore, we intend to firmly demonstrate our commitment to improving such measures.'
Asharq Al-Awsat
10-06-2025
- Business
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Japan Says Two Chinese Aircraft Carriers Seen in Pacific
Two Chinese aircraft carriers were operating in the Pacific for the first time, according to Japan, whose defense minister said Tuesday the move revealed the expansion of Beijing's military activities. China's Shandong and Liaoning carriers -- its only two currently in operation, with a third undergoing sea trials -- were both spotted with their fleets in recent days, Tokyo said. "We believe the Chinese military's purpose is to improve its operational capability and ability to conduct operations in distant areas," a defense ministry spokesman told AFP. Defense Minister Gen Nakatani told reporters the sightings show that the Chinese military's "activity area is expanding". "Japan has expressed its position that the Chinese activities should not threaten Japan's safety" through diplomatic routes to Beijing, Nakatani said. The Japanese military would continue to closely monitor and patrol the operations of Chinese naval warships, he added. China's use of naval and air assets to press its territorial claims has rattled the United States and its allies in the Asia-Pacific region. When asked about the moves at a regular news briefing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian reiterated a statement given the previous day about the Liaoning's trip. "The activities of Chinese warships in the relevant sea areas are fully in line with international law and international practice," he said, adding that Japan should "take an objective and rational look at this issue". - Island chains - On Monday, the Shandong sailed inside the Japanese economic waters surrounding the remote Pacific atoll of Okinotori, Tokyo's defense ministry said. It was accompanied by four other vessels including a missile destroyer, and fighter jets and helicopters conducted take-offs and landings there, having also been seen sailing through Pacific waters on Saturday. The ministry previously said that China's other operational carrier Liaoning and its fleet entered Japan's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the Pacific over the weekend, before exiting to conduct drills involving fighter jets. Japanese and US defense officials say China wants to push the American military out of the so-called "first island chain" from Japan down through the Philippines. Eventually, its strategy is to dominate areas west of the "second island chain" in the Pacific between Japan's remote Ogasawara Islands and the US territory of Guam, they say. The Liaoning's recent cruise eastwards marked the first time the Japanese defense ministry has said a Chinese aircraft carrier had crossed the second island chain. Daisuke Kawai from the University of Tokyo's economic security research program told AFP these activities represent "a highly significant strategic escalation". "China's naval incursions into Japan's EEZ are unquestionably provocative, strategically designed to test Japan's reaction thresholds without crossing the legal line into outright illegality under international law," he said. - Third carrier - In September, the Liaoning sailed between two Japanese islands near Taiwan and entered Japan's contiguous waters, an area up to 24 nautical miles from its coast. At the time, Tokyo called that move "unacceptable" and expressed "serious concerns" to Beijing. Under international law, a state has rights to the management of natural resources and other economic activities within its EEZ, which is within 200 nautical miles (370 kilometers) of its coastline. Kawai said the anticipated commissioning of Beijing's third aircraft carrier, named Fujian, later this year means that "China's maritime operational tempo and geographic scope of influence will significantly increase". And the timing of the sailings could be linked to the broader context of US-China economic tensions. "Senior US policymakers, including President Trump himself, have shifted their focus from strategic containment of China toward securing economic compromises," Kawai said. "Thus, Beijing calculated that the United States would be less willing or able to respond militarily at this precise moment, seeing it as an opportune time to demonstrate its expanding military capabilities."
Malay Mail
10-06-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
Japan flags ‘first-ever' dual Chinese carrier ops in Pacific
TOKYO, June 10 — Two Chinese aircraft carriers were operating in the Pacific for the first time, according to Japan, whose defence minister said Tuesday the move revealed the expansion of Beijing's military activities. China's Shandong and Liaoning carriers — its only two currently in operation, with a third undergoing sea trials — were both spotted with their fleets in recent days, Tokyo said. 'We believe the Chinese military's purpose is to improve its operational capability and ability to conduct operations in distant areas,' a defence ministry spokesman told AFP. Defence Minister Gen Nakatani told reporters the sightings show that the Chinese military's 'activity area is expanding'. 'Japan has expressed its position that the Chinese activities should not threaten Japan's safety' through diplomatic routes to Beijing, Nakatani said. The Japanese military would continue to closely monitor and patrol the operations of Chinese naval warships, he added. China's use of naval and air assets to press its territorial claims has rattled the United States and its allies in the Asia-Pacific region. When asked about the moves at a regular news briefing, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian reiterated a statement given the previous day about the Liaoning's trip. 'The activities of Chinese warships in the relevant sea areas are fully in line with international law and international practice,' he said, adding that Japan should 'take an objective and rational look at this issue'. Island chains On Monday, the Shandong sailed inside the Japanese economic waters surrounding the remote Pacific atoll of Okinotori, Tokyo's defence ministry said. It was accompanied by four other vessels including a missile destroyer, and fighter jets and helicopters conducted take-offs and landings there, having also been seen sailing through Pacific waters on Saturday. The ministry previously said that China's other operational carrier Liaoning and its fleet entered Japan's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the Pacific over the weekend, before exiting to conduct drills involving fighter jets. Japanese and US defence officials say China wants to push the American military out of the so-called 'first island chain' from Japan down through the Philippines. Eventually, its strategy is to dominate areas west of the 'second island chain' in the Pacific between Japan's remote Ogasawara Islands and the US territory of Guam, they say. The Liaoning's recent cruise eastwards marked the first time the Japanese defence ministry has said a Chinese aircraft carrier had crossed the second island chain. Daisuke Kawai from the University of Tokyo's economic security research programme told AFP these activities represent 'a highly significant strategic escalation'. 'China's naval incursions into Japan's EEZ are unquestionably provocative, strategically designed to test Japan's reaction thresholds without crossing the legal line into outright illegality under international law,' he said. Third carrier In September, the Liaoning sailed between two Japanese islands near Taiwan and entered Japan's contiguous waters, an area up to 24 nautical miles from its coast. At the time, Tokyo called that move 'unacceptable' and expressed 'serious concerns' to Beijing. Under international law, a state has rights to the management of natural resources and other economic activities within its EEZ, which is within 370 kilometres of its coastline. Kawai said the anticipated commissioning of Beijing's third aircraft carrier, named Fujian, later this year means that 'China's maritime operational tempo and geographic scope of influence will significantly increase'. And the timing of the sailings could be linked to the broader context of US-China economic tensions. 'Senior US policymakers, including President Trump himself, have shifted their focus from strategic containment of China toward securing economic compromises,' Kawai said. 'Thus, Beijing calculated that the United States would be less willing or able to respond militarily at this precise moment, seeing it as an opportune time to demonstrate its expanding military capabilities.' — AFP
Free Malaysia Today
10-06-2025
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
2 Chinese aircraft carriers seen in Pacific for first time
The Shandong was also seen sailing 550km southeast of Miyako Island near Taiwan on Saturday. (Japan's ministry of defence/AFP pic) TOKYO : Japan said today that two Chinese aircraft carriers had been seen operating in the Pacific for the first time as Beijing boosts its military capability in far-flung areas. Yesterday, China's Shandong carrier and four other vessels, including a missile destroyer, sailed inside the Japanese economic waters surrounding the remote Pacific atoll of Okinotori, Tokyo's defence ministry said. Its fighter jets and helicopters conducted take-offs and landings there, the ministry said. The fleet of five warships was also seen sailing on Saturday 550km southeast of Miyako Island near Taiwan, it added. China's other operational aircraft carrier Liaoning and its fleet entered Japan's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the Pacific over the weekend, before exiting to conduct drills involving fighter jets, Tokyo previously said. 'This is the first time two Chinese aircraft carriers were spotted operating in the Pacific at the same time,' a defence ministry spokesman told AFP today. 'We believe the Chinese military's purpose is to improve its operational capability and ability to conduct operations in distant areas,' he said. China's use of naval and air assets to press its territorial claims has rattled the US and its allies in the Asia-Pacific region. Japanese and US defence officials say China wants to push the American military out of the so-called 'first island chain' from Japan down through the Philippines. Eventually, its strategy is to dominate areas west of the 'second island chain' in the Pacific between Japan's remote Ogasawara Islands and the US territory of Guam, they say. The Liaoning's recent cruise eastwards marked the first time the Japanese defence ministry has said a Chinese aircraft carrier had crossed the second island chain. In September, the warship sailed between two Japanese islands near Taiwan and entered Japan's contiguous waters, an area up to 24 nautical miles from its coast. At the time, Tokyo called that move 'unacceptable' and expressed 'serious concerns' to Beijing. Under international law, a state has rights to the management of natural resources and other economic activities within its EEZ, which is within 370km of its coastline.
The Hindu
20-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
India, U.S. discuss carrier cooperation
Continuing the dialogue on aircraft carrier cooperation, India and the U.S. discussed plans for future co-operation under various aspects of Aircraft Carrier Technology at the 8th round of the India-U.S. Joint Working Group on Aircraft Carrier Technology Cooperation (JWGACTC), constituted under the Defence Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI), the Navy said in Tuesday. A six-member U.S. delegation headed by Rear Adm. Casey Moton, Programme Executive Officer (PEO), Aircraft Carriers, was in Delhi for the dialogue held from May 13 to 16; they also visited various defence establishments in Delhi and Goa. From India, the dialogue was co-chaired by Rear Adm. Vishal Bishnoi, Assistant Controller Carrier Projects. The working group held its first meeting in 2015 and the last edition was held in the U.S. in April 2024. Also read | Budgetary allocations and the recurring lament of the Indian Navy 'Both sides appreciated the remarkable work undertaken by the Joint Working Group towards valuable information exchange on Aircraft Carriers. Plans for future co-operation under various aspects of Aircraft Carrier Technology were discussed and a Joint Statement was also released,' the Navy said. At Goa, professional interactions were undertaken with the Indian Navy's aviation specialists on carrier operations and technical aspects, it added. The Indian Navy currently operates two carriers — INS Vikramaditya, acquired from Russia, and the indigenously designed and manufactured INS Vikrant — both of which operate the Mig-29K fighter jets. Unlike the bulk of the U.S. nuclear-powered super carriers displacing 100,000 tonnes, the Indian carriers are medium-sized with a displacement of over 40,000 tonnes, conventionally powered and use a ski-jump to launch aircraft. The ambitious DTTI initiative between India and the U.S. was announced a decade ago with two joint working groups and four path funder projects for co-development and co-production, though they made no progress.
