China’s Liaoning carrier group has appeared in the South China Sea off Hainan, satellite photos show, after it was said to pass through the Taiwan Strait, in what analysts are describing as an “unusually large display of the Chinese military’s growing naval might.”
That is according to Reuters, which obtained the photos showing at least 40 ships flanking the aircraft carrier.
In addition to the scale of the exercise, observers said the movements were likely aimed at showing off inter-fleet capabilities.
“Judging by the images, it does seem they are keen to show that elements of the South Sea Fleet are able to routinely join up with the carrier strike group from Dalian in the north,” Collin Koh, a security expert at Singapore’s S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, was quoted as saying.
“It does seem they want to show inter-fleet interoperability – something the [People’s Liberation Army] Navy has been quietly working on for some time.”
But, Koh added, “while it highlights an extensive ability to deploy, we are still left to guess at the PLAN’s combat readiness.”
The exercise follows reports that the Liaoning carrier group, as well as Chinese fighter jets, passed through the Taiwan Strait and over the Bashi Channel to the south of Taiwan.
It also comes after a US guided-missile destroyer carried out a freedom of navigation operation near an artificial island controlled by China on Friday. China’s Defense Ministry termed the move a provocation, saying that the operation “violated basic rules of international relations, and harmed regional peace and stability.”
I think that both nations are showing respect as well as providing insight into their respective positions.
Ravindran Panicker what Chinese debt trap? The debt is due to financial mismanagement by the current regime. Debt as a proportion of GDP fell from 104 percent in 2004 to 72percent in 2014 (approx figures). It rose again to 85 percent in the past two years because of two bond scams and a flight of capital, failure to capitalise on falling petroleum costs, etc.
Chira Fernando, China’s debt trap on Habbantota port in Sri Lanka and it’s takeover/lease …. Do you think world doesn’t know what is China’s design. China will pay a big price very soon…
China may have numbers in ships, and modest tech. But these are sitting ducks if war broke out. Their naval component are not as prepared and trained like that of the Western navies. They have submarines, yes, but are limited only to West Philippine Sea and East China Sea. They can’t cover all the oceans or do combat operations underwater unless they want to sail them on the surface and end up getting blown to hell by their enemies. China does not have oceanographic maps used by Western navies with submarine capabilities. I don’t think, Russia will give them these naval maps with the kind of relationship they have in the past.
USA sailing in International waters in South China Sea are no provocations. Just a mild reminder to China that they must be careful, or else..
Indians will say "nonsense" but lets face it, China has a formidable Navy growing bigger daily. India is struggling tokeep theie nNavu afloat. China has a Navel Basris South Sri Lanka as well
Jon Lee even india can kick chinas ass
China want to show its strength to opponents.