Chinese aircraft carrier kicks off western Pacific drillswestern Pacific drills
China’s Liaoning aircraft carrier began training in the western Pacific on Tuesday, including live-fire drills, according to reporting from the South China Morning Post.
The exercises come as tensions remain high between China and Japan, making the deployment a signal of military readiness in a sensitive maritime area.
- The Liaoning is named after a northeastern Chinese province.
- China’s carrier fleet has expanded rapidly in the past decade.
- Japan and China both claim influence over parts of the East China Sea.
US-China Indo-Pacific Rivalry
China and Taiwan coast guard vessels have repeatedly faced off near the Pratas Islands, with the latest standoff showing how small maritime incidents around Taiwan can quickly become confrontations.[1][5] The episode adds to wider U.S.-China military tension across the Indo-Pacific, where Beijing is expanding patrols and Washington is reinforcing regional deterrence.[2][3] The rivalry now centers on preventing miscalculation around Taiwan, the South China Sea, and nearby sea lanes.[1][3][5] It also shapes defense planning by Taiwan, Japan, the Philippines, and the United States as all sides weigh coercion, sovereignty claims, and the risk of escalation.[2][3]
24 May, 07:39 AM
Taiwan and China coast guards face off near Pratas islands1 January
The United States adopts a sharper great-power competition strategy focused on China
