Latest news with #Okinotori
The Independent
10-06-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Japan finds pair of Chinese aircraft carriers conducting operations in Pacific for first time
The Japanese navy sighted two Chinese aircraft carriers conducting simultaneous operations in the Pacific for the first time in a move signalling Beijing 's intention to expand its blue water capabilities. Liaoning and Shandong were seen operating in separate areas of the Pacific Ocean over the weekend, the Japanese defence ministry said on Tuesday. The Shandong strike group was seen carrying out what appeared to be take-off and landing operations of its fighter jets and helicopters about 500km southwest of Iwo Jima and north of Okinotori. The Liaoning group was found 300km southwest of Minamitori Island on Saturday and a little further away on Sunday. It was also operating its air wings. The carriers were seen in blue waters beyond Japan 's second chain islands. Seen as the second line of defence in the event of a military escalation by China in the region, the chain comprises a strategic group of islands in the middle of the West Pacific, including a US military base in Guam, around 2,700km from Taiwan. The Japanese military said they dispatched warships and aircraft to monitor the Chinese operations in the region. 'Japan's prompt disclosure of information concerning the carriers underscores its commitment to deter any forceful, unilateral shifts in the regional status quo," defence minister Gen Nakatani told a press conference. Stopping short of criticising Beijing, the minister said Japan had engaged with China to ensure its operations in the international waters did not pose any threat to his country's security. Mr Nakatani said Japan was pursuing a buildup of air defences in the Pacific region and was closely monitoring the movements of Chinese naval vessels. One of the carriers seen on Saturday, Liaoning, was accompanied by guided missile destroyers Wuxi and Tangshan as well as the fast combat support ship Hulunhu, the South China Morning Post reported. Japan previously claimed that Liaoning had sailed within its exclusive economic zone near Minamitorishima, a remote island east of Iwo Jima. Responding to Japan's statement, the Chinese foreign ministry defended the presence of its aircraft carriers in the area and said Beijing's activities were consistent with international law and practice. 'China has always pursued a defensive national defence policy and hopes that the Japanese side will look at the matter objectively and rationally," Lin Jian, foreign ministry spokesperson, said at a news briefing. China has been increasing its presence in East Asian waters since May by sending an unusually large number of naval and coast guard vessels to the region. At the same time, it has been conducting daily military drills in the Taiwan Strait, in what critics have called staging exercises of a military escalation against the self-governed island.
Bloomberg
10-06-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
China Sends Two Aircraft Carriers Into Pacific Ocean in a First
Japan said it observed two Chinese aircraft carriers and supporting warships operating simultaneously near remote Japanese islands in the Pacific Ocean for the first time, a new demonstration of Beijing's advancing naval capabilities. The aircraft carrier Shandong was seen sailing into the Pacific at the weekend and identified on Monday conducting fighter jet and helicopter take-off and landing training, according to Japan's Joint Staff Office. That was occurring inside the exclusive economic zone around the Japanese atoll of Okinotori, around 1,740 km south of Tokyo, the office said.
Al Jazeera
10-06-2025
- Business
- Al Jazeera
Two Chinese aircraft carriers seen in Pacific for first time, Japan says
Two Chinese aircraft carriers have been seen operating in the Pacific at once for the first time, Japan's Ministry of Defence has said. China's Shandong and four other vessels on Monday sailed within Japan's exclusive economic zone (EEZ), the Defence Ministry said on Tuesday. The aircraft carrier conducted landing and takeoff drills involving its fighter jets and helicopters in waters north of the Pacific atoll of Okinotori, the ministry said. Tokyo's announcement came a day after Japanese officials said the Liaoning, the older of China's two operating aircraft carriers, had entered waters near the remote island of Minamitorishima. Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said Tokyo would step up surveillance and had conveyed 'an appropriate message' to China, without elaborating. On Monday, Hayashi, who is Tokyo's top spokesman, said China's growing maritime activity appeared to be aimed at bolstering its capability to carry out missions farther from its shores. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian on Monday defended the aircraft carriers' movements, describing them as 'fully consistent with international law and international practices'. 'Our national defence policy is defensive in nature. We hope Japan will view those activities objectively and rationally,' Lin told a regular news conference.
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.
CNA
10-06-2025
- Business
- CNA
Two Chinese aircraft carriers seen in Pacific for first time: Japan
TOKYO: Japan said on Tuesday (Jun 10) 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. On Monday, 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 on Tuesday. "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 United States 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.
