Japan has voiced deep concern over unprecedented Chinese naval exercises near its territory, revealing that Beijing’s two aircraft carriers Shandong and Liaoning have been conducting simultaneous drills in the Pacific, a first for the Chinese navy.
In a rare move, Tokyo publicly released a map tracking the carriers’ daily locations since May 25. The map shows both warships operating close to Japanese islands and entering Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), prompting protests from Tokyo and warnings about possible mid-air collisions. Japan’s Defence Ministry reported over 500 fighter jet and helicopter sorties during the drills, including incidents where Chinese jets flew dangerously close to Japanese surveillance aircraft.
A Chinese jet allegedly tailed a Japanese plane for 40 minutes on June 7, and a similar episode lasted longer the next day. Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary, Yoshimasa Hayashi, condemned these as “abnormal approaches” that could have sparked unintended accidents.
China, meanwhile, defended its actions as legal and routine. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian accused Japan of provoking risks by “close-in reconnaissance” and called for Tokyo to cease what it described as “dangerous moves.”
The drills come as China also announces progress on its newest aircraft carrier, Fujian, which is expected to enter service this year with advanced electromagnetic catapult technology making it only the second nation after the US to use such systems.
This show of force follows China’s February exercises in the Tasman Sea, which drew sharp criticism from Australia and New Zealand over a lack of transparency.
Though Canberra later acknowledged the legality of the operations, Defence Minister Richard Marles described China’s military expansion as “extraordinary military buildup” and called for clearer communication moving forward.
Erizia Rubyjeana
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