ALERT: Dual aircraft carrier deployment by China in Western Pacific raises regional alert among US and allies.

According to information published by the Chinese Ministry of National Defense on June 10, 2025, Senior Colonel Wang Xuemeng confirmed that China’s Liaoning and Shandong aircraft carrier strike groups recently conducted coordinated training operations in the Western Pacific and surrounding waters. These drills were executed under the annual training plan of the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), focusing on enhancing far-sea defense and joint combat capabilities. The Chinese spokesperson emphasized that the exercise was in accordance with international law and customary maritime practices, and not aimed at any specific nation.
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Chinese Navy aircraft carrier Liaoning CV16 underway in the Western Pacific during recent PLAN training exercises in June 2025. (Picture source: China MoD)

The simultaneous deployment of both Liaoning and Shandong signals a substantial step in the PLAN’s evolving capability to project maritime power across extended distances. This exercise included carrier-based flight operations, maritime surveillance, anti-submarine warfare, and simulated strike missions. The comprehensive training underscores the PLAN’s intent to build a modern, multidimensional naval force capable of operating well beyond its littoral zones. Analysts view the operation as both a demonstration of improved carrier strike group interoperability and an affirmation of China’s ambitions to maintain persistent presence in strategically significant maritime corridors of the Indo-Pacific.

The PLAN’s current carrier fleet comprises two operational platforms, Liaoning (CV-16) and Shandong (CV-17), each playing a vital role in China’s naval transformation. The Liaoning, commissioned in 2012, is a refurbished Kuznetsov-class carrier originally acquired from Ukraine. With a displacement of around 60,000 tons, it utilizes a ski-jump launch system and supports approximately 24 Shenyang J-15 carrier-based fighters. While considered a transitional asset, Liaoning has been instrumental in shaping carrier doctrine, pilot training programs, and battle group formation techniques.

By contrast, the Shandong, launched in 2017 and commissioned in 2019, is the first indigenous Chinese aircraft carrier. Slightly larger with a displacement nearing 70,000 tons, it features an improved flight deck layout, enhanced radar systems, and a more efficient air wing configuration that can accommodate up to 36 J-15 fighters along with rotary-wing aircraft. While both carriers are conventionally powered and use ski-jump designs, the Shandong reflects significant advancements in sortie generation capacity and fleet integration compared to its predecessor.

Shandong CV17 is a conventionally powered Chinese aircraft carrier featuring a ski jump flight deck and capable of deploying up to 36 J15 fighters for carrier strike operations and maritime air superiority missions. (Picture source: China MoD)

The current generation of Chinese carriers, while not yet matching the power projection capabilities of U.S. nuclear-powered supercarriers, represents a clear evolution in strategic design and operational ambition. They serve as formidable instruments for regional presence missions, deterrence posturing, and rapid-response operations. Their deployment to the Western Pacific during joint exercises reflects not only increased naval confidence but also a deliberate effort by Beijing to normalize the presence of Chinese carrier groups in international waters beyond the First Island Chain.

From a geopolitical perspective, the presence of Chinese carrier groups in the Western Pacific presents new challenges for the United States and its regional allies. It increases the PLAN’s ability to operate in contested areas such as the Taiwan Strait, South China Sea, and near Japan’s southwestern islands. The enhanced reach of these carriers complicates the operational environment for U.S. naval forces and forward-deployed assets, particularly as China gains the capacity to sustain multi-carrier task forces. It also pressures alliance networks like those involving Japan, South Korea, and Australia to reinforce maritime surveillance, invest in anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) capabilities, and maintain a robust presence in vital sea lanes.

The acceleration of China’s aircraft carrier development is rooted in a broader strategic vision. As China’s global economic and security interests expand, so too does its need to secure maritime trade routes and assert influence across the Indo-Pacific and beyond. Aircraft carriers allow the PLAN to conduct extended-range operations, deter adversaries, and respond swiftly to crises in distant theaters. The development of a strong carrier fleet also complements China’s effort to become a comprehensive global power by 2049, the centennial of the People's Republic of China.

As of mid-2025, China operates two aircraft carriers in active service: Liaoning and Shandong. Meanwhile, its third carrier, Fujian (CV-18), represents a significant leap in capability. Launched in 2022 and currently undergoing sea trials, Fujian features electromagnetic catapult systems and a flat deck design, increasing aircraft launch efficiency and payload flexibility. Fujian is expected to be commissioned by 2026 or 2027.

Looking further, China is reported to be planning at least four additional carriers, with ambitions to field six to seven by the early 2030s. This future fleet may include nuclear-powered carriers, providing greater endurance and operational reach. Such a force structure would allow for sustained global operations and continuous carrier presence in key maritime domains, elevating the PLAN to the ranks of peer competitors alongside the U.S. Navy.

Until then, the Liaoning and Shandong remain the operational backbone of China’s carrier ambitions. Their activities in the Western Pacific are both a reflection of Beijing’s growing confidence in its naval capabilities and a signal of the strategic transformation reshaping Asia’s maritime security architecture.