China’s Liaoning carrier heads to the Pacific as US, Japan prepare for missile drills
Beijing’s Liaoning aircraft carrier on Wednesday started its second training in the western Pacific this year, with the drill likely to coincide with an expanded US-Japan military exercise that may have implications for a Taiwan contingency. The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy was organising the drill for the Liaoning formation in “relevant waters” of the western Pacific Ocean as part of its…
China's Liaoning aircraft carrier has commenced its second training in the western Pacific this year, coinciding with an expanded US-Japan military exercise called Keen Sword 27. The drill, conducted in "relevant waters" of the western Pacific Ocean, is aimed at testing and improving the troops' combat-oriented training level and complies with international law.
The timing of the Liaoning's training may overlap with Keen Sword 27, which will involve about 45,000 Japanese personnel, 6,100 vehicles, 40 ships, and 260 aircraft from October 19 to 29. The exercise will be conducted across Japan's southwestern island chain near Taiwan, with the US deploying two of its newest missile systems to Yonaguni Island, just over 100km from Taiwan.
The drills come amid growing tension between Beijing and Tokyo since Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi made remarks regarding Taiwan in November last year.
Brief written by urgent.news from Reuters Business via SCMP's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
