HONG KONG (Reuters) – China’s aircraft carriers Liaoning and Shandong carried out dual aircraft carrier formation exercises for the first time in the South China Sea, the PLA navy said, a move that sets China’s navy up for more diverse and complex missions.
China is in disputes with several of its neighbours over its extensive claims of territorial waters in the South China Sea.
During the training, the formation moved to the Yellow Sea, East China Sea and South China Sea before returning home safely, according to a post on the PLA Navy’s official Weibo account.
“In the South China Sea, the Liaoning and Shandong ship formations conducted a dual carrier formation exercise for the first time to hone and improve the combat capability of the aircraft carrier formation system,” it said.
Exercises with two aircraft carriers and their associated support vessels require a high level of operational flexibility and showcase the ability to deploy…
