Close Encounter Between Chinese and Japanese Naval Forces in Western Pacific

This week, China’s military shared footage of a close encounter between a Chinese aircraft carrier group and a Japanese warship. This happened during a recent mission in the Western Pacific Ocean.

Encounters in international waters between the two nations are now common. China’s navy, which is growing rapidly, conducts more frequent exercises beyond its coastal regions. The U.S. defense planners refer to these areas as the first island chain.

The Chinese military accused Japanese military ships and planes of engaging in “close-in tracking, surveillance, harassment, and provocations” during the Liaoning carrier group’s over 40-day deployment in the South China Sea and the Philippine Sea. A statement mentioned that Chinese forces managed Japan’s “dangerous actions” professionally.

The Japanese government has not made any public comments on this incident. Japan’s Defense Ministry did not respond immediately to written requests for comments.

This incident occurs amidst rising tensions between Beijing and Tokyo. The tension heightens over Japan’s recent force modernization efforts, supported by the U.S., which China views as a return to Japan’s imperial-era militarism.

The Liaoning, China’s first operational aircraft carrier, has been in service since 2012. It was built by the Soviet Union. China shared the undated video on Monday as the Liaoning returned to its base in Qingdao, East China Sea, after concluding its “far-seas combat training.” The state media footage showed the Liaoning group being followed by the Japanese destroyer JS Asahi. Additionally, Japanese patrol planes were shown flying above.

The Joint Staff Office of the Japanese Defense Ministry stated that its forces first monitored the Chinese carrier group elements as they crossed into the Philippine Sea in mid-May. According to a different press release, the Liaoning and its escorts arrived in the area the following week.

In early June, another Joint Staff report highlighted that the Liaoning group conducted numerous carrier jet and helicopter operations in the waters east of the Philippines. On Monday, officials confirmed that the Japanese destroyer Asahi was one of the units monitoring the Liaoning as it moved back to the East China Sea on June 20.

A separate report from the state-owned China Daily newspaper featured a photograph of a Chinese fighter jet interacting with a U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol plane. This image, available on the official English-language news portal of the Chinese armed forces, showed a J-15 fighter jet shadowing a U.S. anti-submarine patrol aircraft, taking off from the Liaoning. The photo’s date was not provided, nor was the encounter mentioned in the Chinese military press releases.

The U.S. Pacific Command, based in Hawaii, did not respond to emailed requests for comment after normal working hours.

The Liaoning’s recent mission marked its first engagement in the broader Pacific waters since December. A year earlier, both the Liaoning and the Shandong, China’s second operational aircraft carrier, carried out exercises together in the Philippine Sea.

According to the Chinese military, the recent deployment consisted of realistic combat exercises, drills involving carrier aircraft flights, and search and rescue training. “This training is a routine exercise by the Chinese navy as part of its annual plan,” they said, “intended to continuously enhance its mission capabilities.” They stated that the training complies with international laws and practices and does not target any specific country or objective.