Latest news with #CNSYuhengxing
Miami Herald
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
US Ally Detects Chinese Military Near Coast: Photos
The Chinese military has deployed a spy ship, a patrol aircraft and drones in waters around Japan's southwestern islands in recent days, according to the United States ally. Newsweek has contacted the Chinese Defense Ministry for comment via email. Japan forms part of the so-called First Island Chain-a Western Pacific defensive line-alongside Taiwan and the Philippines, under a U.S. containment strategy that aims to limit China's military activities within its surrounding airspace and waters in the event of war. Meanwhile, China has been expanding its military reach and presence both within and beyond the First Island Chain, including through its recently concluded simultaneous deployments of two aircraft carriers in the Philippine Sea-located on the eastern side of the First Island Chain. A Chinese intelligence-gathering vessel was spotted passing through the Miyako Strait-which lies between the islands of Okinawa and Miyako in Japan's southwestern waters-en route from the East China Sea to the Philippine Sea on Saturday, according to Japan's Defense Ministry. The Type 815A spy ship has been identified as CNS Yuhengxing by its hull number 798. It remains unclear whether it was deployed to monitor the U.S. aircraft carrier USS George Washington, which was seen underway in nearby waters of the Philippine Sea on Monday. While the U.S. aircraft carrier was operating in the area, the Chinese military on Monday deployed a Y-9 patrol plane and a BZK-005 reconnaissance drone to the Miyako Strait. Both aircraft flew over waters south of Japan's southwestern islands before returning to China. A pair of Chinese drones-whose types were not identified by Japan's Defense Ministry-were tracked flying over the East China Sea two days later. They transited between Taiwan and Japan's Yonaguni Island as they headed southward off the eastern coast of Taiwan. A map provided by Japan's Defense Ministry indicates that one of the Chinese military drones returned to China via the so-called Yonaguni Gap-a waterway less than 70 miles wide that separates Taiwan's east coast from Japan's westernmost island of Yonaguni. However, the second Chinese drone continued its southward flight on Wednesday until it exited the Japanese military's monitoring zone. It is unclear whether the drone returned to China by flying over waters between southern Taiwan and the northern Philippines. Japan scrambled fighter jets on both Monday and Wednesday in response to Chinese aerial activities near the nation's airspace, the Japanese Defense Ministry said in its press releases. Japan's defense white paper in 2024 read: "China has been rapidly building up military capabilities while intensifying its activities in the East China Sea, where the waters surrounding the Senkaku Islands are, as well as in the Pacific." The Senkaku Islands are an uninhabited islet group in the East China Sea, ruled by Japan but claimed by China and Taiwan as the Diaoyu Islands and the Diaoyutai Islands, respectively. Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson for China's Defense Ministry, said in April: "The Chinese military's operations in relevant waters and airspace are in line with international law and practices, and do not target any specific entity. They are aimed at enhancing our capability to safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests." China is likely to continue flexing its military power by deploying aircraft and ships across the Western Pacific, a move seen as challenging U.S. military dominance in the region. Related Articles Dalai Lama Issues Update on SuccessionPatrol Plane Photos Show Chinese Sea Activity Alarming US AllyChina Reacts to Major Dalai Lama AnnouncementWhere to Rock Climb: The Top Spots Worldwide 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Newsweek
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
US Ally Detects Chinese Military Near Coast: Photos
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Chinese military has deployed a spy ship, a patrol aircraft and drones in waters around Japan's southwestern islands in recent days, according to the United States ally. Newsweek has contacted the Chinese Defense Ministry for comment via email. Why It Matters Japan forms part of the so-called First Island Chain—a Western Pacific defensive line—alongside Taiwan and the Philippines, under a U.S. containment strategy that aims to limit China's military activities within its surrounding airspace and waters in the event of war. Meanwhile, China has been expanding its military reach and presence both within and beyond the First Island Chain, including through its recently concluded simultaneous deployments of two aircraft carriers in the Philippine Sea—located on the eastern side of the First Island Chain. What To Know A Chinese intelligence-gathering vessel was spotted passing through the Miyako Strait—which lies between the islands of Okinawa and Miyako in Japan's southwestern waters—en route from the East China Sea to the Philippine Sea on Saturday, according to Japan's Defense Ministry. The Type 815A spy ship has been identified as CNS Yuhengxing by its hull number 798. It remains unclear whether it was deployed to monitor the U.S. aircraft carrier USS George Washington, which was seen underway in nearby waters of the Philippine Sea on Monday. While the U.S. aircraft carrier was operating in the area, the Chinese military on Monday deployed a Y-9 patrol plane and a BZK-005 reconnaissance drone to the Miyako Strait. Both aircraft flew over waters south of Japan's southwestern islands before returning to China. A pair of Chinese drones—whose types were not identified by Japan's Defense Ministry—were tracked flying over the East China Sea two days later. They transited between Taiwan and Japan's Yonaguni Island as they headed southward off the eastern coast of Taiwan. The Chinese Type 815A spy ship CNS Yuhengxing, top, and a Chinese Y-9 patrol plane, bottom, transit the Miyako Strait on June 28 and 30, 2025, respectively. The Chinese Type 815A spy ship CNS Yuhengxing, top, and a Chinese Y-9 patrol plane, bottom, transit the Miyako Strait on June 28 and 30, 2025, respectively. Japan's Defense Ministry A map provided by Japan's Defense Ministry indicates that one of the Chinese military drones returned to China via the so-called Yonaguni Gap—a waterway less than 70 miles wide that separates Taiwan's east coast from Japan's westernmost island of Yonaguni. However, the second Chinese drone continued its southward flight on Wednesday until it exited the Japanese military's monitoring zone. It is unclear whether the drone returned to China by flying over waters between southern Taiwan and the northern Philippines. Japan scrambled fighter jets on both Monday and Wednesday in response to Chinese aerial activities near the nation's airspace, the Japanese Defense Ministry said in its press releases. What People Are Saying Japan's defense white paper in 2024 read: "China has been rapidly building up military capabilities while intensifying its activities in the East China Sea, where the waters surrounding the Senkaku Islands are, as well as in the Pacific." The Senkaku Islands are an uninhabited islet group in the East China Sea, ruled by Japan but claimed by China and Taiwan as the Diaoyu Islands and the Diaoyutai Islands, respectively. Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson for China's Defense Ministry, said in April: "The Chinese military's operations in relevant waters and airspace are in line with international law and practices, and do not target any specific entity. They are aimed at enhancing our capability to safeguard national sovereignty, security and development interests." What Happens Next China is likely to continue flexing its military power by deploying aircraft and ships across the Western Pacific, a move seen as challenging U.S. military dominance in the region.
Newsweek
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
US Ally Intercepts Chinese Spy Ships Near Coast
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A pair of Chinese naval vessels, capable of collecting intelligence, were spotted operating near Japan, a key United States treaty ally in the Western Pacific Ocean, earlier this week. Newsweek has reached out to the Chinese Defense Ministry for comment by email. Why It Matters Under a U.S. maritime containment strategy, Japan, which monitors the Chinese navy in its surrounding waters, forms the First Island Chain along with Taiwan and the Philippines, seeking to restrict China's military access to the wider Pacific Ocean using U.S.-aligned territories. In its report on Chinese military power, the Pentagon noted that China, which has the largest navy in the world by hull count, has begun sending its fleet of intelligence collection ships beyond the First Island Chain outside the East and South China Seas to monitor military drills. The deployment of the two Chinese spy ships also coincides with a joint U.S.-Philippines war game conducted in the Southeast Asian archipelagic country from April 21 to Friday. What To Know The Japanese Defense Ministry reported on Wednesday that the Chinese Type 815A spy ship CNS Yuhengxing, which has the hull number 798, sailed from the Philippine Sea to the East China Sea via the Miyako Strait—located in Japan's southwestern waters—on Sunday. The Yuhengxing commenced its deployment in the Philippine Sea on April 12, when it was tracked passing through the waters between two of Japan's southwestern islands, Yokoate-jima and Amami Oshima, according to a map provided by the Japanese Defense Ministry. Meanwhile, the CNS Kaiyangxing, which is a sister ship of the Yuhengxing with the hull number 796, sailed northward through the waterway between Taiwan and Japan's island of Yonaguni from Sunday to Monday, heading from the Philippine Sea to the East China Sea. The Kaiyangxing had been operating in the Philippine Sea since March 31, after transiting southeastward in the Miyako Strait, a map released by the Japanese Defense Ministry shows. Chinese spy ships CNS Yuhengxing, top, and CNS Kaiyangxing transit the Philippine Sea on May 4, 2025. Chinese spy ships CNS Yuhengxing, top, and CNS Kaiyangxing transit the Philippine Sea on May 4, 2025. Japanese Defense Ministry The Japanese navy was dispatched to monitor the Chinese spy ships, Tokyo's defense ministry added, though the exact missions of the Yuhengxing and the Kaiyangxing remain unclear. While China deployed its spy ships in the Philippine Sea, USS Nimitz, a U.S. aircraft carrier, was also operating in the region until it entered the South China Sea last Saturday, providing "presence and combat-ready forces to the theater," the U.S. Seventh Fleet told Newsweek. What People Are Saying Japan's defense white paper 2024 said: "China has been rapidly building up military capabilities while intensifying its activities in the East China Sea, where the waters surrounding the Senkaku Islands are, as well as in the Pacific." The Senkaku Islands are an islet group in the East China Sea, ruled by Japan but claimed by China as the Diaoyu Islands. Senior Colonel Wu Qian, spokesperson for the Chinese Defense Ministry, said: "Japan has been closely tracking, monitoring and harassing operations of Chinese vessels and aircraft, which has endangered the safety of the Chinese vessels and aircraft, and can easily trigger incidents at sea or in the air." What Happens Next China continues to deploy its fleet of warships to waters beyond the First Island Chain, aiming to further expand its military reach and assert its presence in the Indo-Pacific region.
