China’s Type 054B frigate makes carrier force debut with Liaoning for live-fire drills

Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning and its strike group are holding a live-fire exercise in the Pacific east of the Philippines, following one of its longest deployments in the South China Sea.

The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Kuznetsov-class carrier, along with at least four escorts, was spotted on Monday about 880km (547 miles) southwest of Okinotorishima, Japan’s southernmost point, according to a statement from the Japanese defence ministry.

On Tuesday, carrier-based fighter aircraft and other assets were observed conducting take-off and landing exercises from the Liaoning, the statement added.

The first island chain, which runs along East Asia’s coastline from the Kuril Islands through Japan, Taiwan and the Philippines down to Borneo, marks the Chinese mainland’s near seas from the wider Pacific.

The Qingdao-based Liaoning entered the South China Sea on April 20 to monitor the Balikatan joint military exercise between the United States, the Philippines and other allies which began that day.

Commercial satellite photos showed that the Liaoning remained west of the Philippines for at least a few days after the exercise concluded on May 8.

South China Morning Post