China's Liaoning Carrier Heads to Pacific as US-Japan Keen Sword 27 Drill Approaches
SCMP · 2 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
China's People's Liberation Army Navy has deployed its Liaoning aircraft carrier to the western Pacific Ocean for a training exercise, marking its second such drill in the region this year. The timing of the deployment appears to align with the upcoming Keen Sword 27 military exercise involving the United States and Japan, which begins on October 19. The exercises are being conducted against a backdrop of heightened tensions in the Taiwan Strait, with both sides increasing their military capabilities in the region.
Key Points
- The Liaoning carrier group began its training in the western Pacific as part of the PLA Navy's annual training plan, according to China's defence ministry .
- Keen Sword 27 will run from October 19 to 29 across Japan and surrounding waters, involving about 45,000 Japanese and 12,000 US personnel .
- The US will deploy the Navy-Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System (NMESIS) and Marine Air Defence Integrated System (MADIS) to Yonaguni Island for the first time .
- This year's Keen Sword exercise is significantly larger than 2024's, featuring 40 ships and 260 aircraft compared to 30 ships and 250 aircraft previously .
- Yonaguni Island, located just over 100km from Taiwan, represents the clearest link to a potential Taiwan contingency in the exercises .
Why It Matters
The overlapping military exercises underscore the growing strategic competition in the western Pacific, particularly as both Washington and Beijing seek to demonstrate their military capabilities in the region surrounding Taiwan. For Hong Kong, which sits within the same broader geopolitical theatre, these developments could influence regional stability and trade routes, while also shaping the city's strategic positioning between mainland China and international partners. The deployment of advanced US missile systems to islands near Taiwan marks a significant escalation in military posture that could reshape deterrence calculations across the region .
The overlapping military exercises underscore the growing strategic competition in the western Pacific, particularly as both Washington and Beijing seek to demonstrate their military capabilities in the region surrounding Taiwan. For Hong Kong, which sits within the same broader geopolitical theatre, these developments could influence regional stability and trade routes, while also shaping the city's strategic positioning between mainland China and international partners. The deployment of advanced US missile systems to islands near Taiwan marks a significant escalation in military posture that could reshape deterrence calculations across the region .