The People’s Liberation Army of China has begun large-scale military exercises in the western Pacific Ocean led by the aircraft carrier Liaoning, prompting security concerns in Japan.
The Chinese navy states that the drills are “routine exercises conducted under the annual plan”, however part of the Western media notes that the activity is taking place amid growing strategic competition in the region, making the waters near Okinawa and Taiwan particularly sensitive and critical hotspots.
According to the South China Morning Post, the current exercises follow an incident that occurred in December last year. At that time, Japan says that Chinese J-15 fighter jets aimed fire-control radars at Japanese fighters near Okinawa, prompting an official protest from Tokyo.
Reuters reported that in April, Chinese naval vessels passed through straits near islands in Okinawa Prefecture en route to the western Pacific after completing exercises. The Japanese government assessed this as an indication of China’s growing naval and military capabilities.
Taiwanese Premier Cho Jung-tai said earlier this week that China’s military activities are “the greatest source of regional instability”. He added that Beijing continues to intensify military and political pressure on both Taiwan and the broader Indo-Pacific region.
Analysts assess that China’s more active operations of aircraft carriers in the western Pacific reflect Beijing’s attempt to expand its military influence beyond the “first island chain”, where the United States and its allies, including Japan, maintain a significant military presence.
