Just over a week after it was confirmed that the Chinese Navy had deployed its aircraft carriers Liaoning and Shandong into the Pacific—pushing even farther beyond the First Island Chain outlined by the U.S. as part of its containment strategy—Japan’s Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) continue to closely monitor and track the deployment of the Chinese force. Alerted by the transit of the Chinese vessels through waters near its coasts, Japanese elements confirmed the presence of the Chinese ships as of June 8 and are still tracking them as they return to their respective ports.
It is worth recalling that earlier JSDF reports revealed that China had deployed its carriers with substantial escorts forming their respective Carrier Strike Groups. In the case of the Liaoning, the force reported it was accompanied by the cruiser CNS Wuxi (104), the destroyer CNS Tangshen (122), and the fleet oiler CNS Hulunhu (901). For the Shandong, the JSDF observed the presence of the Type 055 destroyer Zunyi, the Type 054A frigates Yuncheng and Hengshui, along with a Type 905 replenishment ship.
Both carriers are also operating their embarked air wings, composed primarily of J-15 fighter jets, which have been observed taking off in significant numbers—activity that Japan has been monitoring closely, highlighting the scale of the Chinese deployment. During these operations, two incidents were recorded involving J-15s of the People’s Republic of China and a JSDF P-3C Orion aircraft, in which the Chinese fighters carried out dangerous interception maneuvers against the Japanese surveillance plane.
These incidents reportedly occurred on June 7 and 8, during the initial phase of the Chinese carrier deployment, according to official reports from Tokyo. In the first incident, the JSDF stated that the J-15s shadowed the P-3C Orion for 40 minutes, maintaining a dangerously close distance of just 50 meters, posing a high risk of collision. The following day, a similar interception was carried out, but this time the trailing lasted for 80 minutes and involved a head-on pass by the Chinese fighter just 900 meters in front of the Japanese aircraft, further escalating the risk.
Finally, with regard to the significance of the Chinese deployment as mentioned earlier, it should be noted that this marks the first time the People’s Liberation Army Navy has sent two of its three aircraft carriers beyond the First Island Chain. This deployment sends a bold message about China’s growing naval capabilities—one seemingly directed at the United States, which defines the symbolic First Island Chain as stretching from the southern tip of Japan to the waters between Malaysia and Vietnam. A Second Island Chain also exists, extending from Japan to Papua New Guinea.
Images used for illustrative purposes only.
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