Taipei [Taiwan], July 1 : For the first time, two of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft carriers, the Liaoning and the Shandong, have simultaneously operated in the Western Pacific, crossing the second island chain in what analysts call a major strategic escalation, according to Taipei Times.
Taiwan's National security officials told the Taipei Times that the PLA's dual-carrier manoeuvre aims to demonstrate China's growing ability to control sea lanes, project military power, and pressure regional players into reassessing their security ties with democratic allies.
The operations have drawn sharp attention from the United States, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan. On June 7, Japan's Ministry of Defense confirmed the Liaoning was spotted near Minamitori Island, Japan's easternmost point. Two days later, the Shandong entered Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) near Okinotorishima, coming within 1,700 km of Tokyo.
Since May 19, both carrier groups have conducted increasingly assertive drills, each accompanied by additional warships and supply vessels. The Liaoning carried out aircraft takeoff drills, maritime patrols, and mock attacks in the East China and Yellow seas, while the Shandong manoeuvred from northeast of the Philippines to Japan's southwest islands, later returning via the Balintang Channel, Taipei Times reported.
Officials emphasised that the scope of the exercises far exceeds traditional access denial or coastal defence strategies, signalling China's intent to expand its influence into the third island chain.
These deployments come shortly after the Shangri-La Dialogue (May 30-June 1), where China faced global criticism over its regional aggression. In response to freedom of navigation operations in the Taiwan Strait by the UK and allied navies in mid-June, China launched retaliatory "combat readiness" drills involving over 70 aircraft, according to Taipei Times.
Amid regional tension, Japan and South Korea have lodged protests over Chinese military infrastructure developments in disputed maritime zones.
Officials warned that China is accelerating efforts to treat the Yellow Sea, East China Sea, South China Sea, and the Taiwan Strait as internal waters.