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China's Liaoning Carrier Group Transit Close to Japan's Ryukyu Islands Sharpens Regional Tensions.
China's Liaoning carrier group moved through the Miyako Strait on December 8 and conducted drills along the Ryukyu Islands, according to Japanese and Chinese reports. The activity has renewed concerns in Tokyo about regional military pressure, while Beijing maintains the operations are routine training in international waters.
On December 8, 2025, China’s aircraft carrier Liaoning and its escorts again drew attention near Japan’s southwestern islands, as reported by Japan’s Ministry of Defense Joint Staff and Chinese media outlet Global Times. The carrier group’s transit through the Miyako Strait and subsequent turn northeast along the Ryukyu chain has sharpened the debate between Tokyo and Beijing over the risks of close military activity in the western Pacific. While Japan frames the maneuvers and related radar incidents as a growing security concern, China describes the voyage as routine far-seas training conducted in full accordance with international law.
China's Liaoning carrier group pushed north along the Ryukyu Islands after transiting the Miyako Strait, sharpening an already tense Japan-China debate over military activity in the western Pacific (Picture Source: Chinese MoD)
According to Japan’s Ministry of Defense, the Liaoning transited the Miyako Strait on Saturday before turning northeast on Sunday. The group consisted of the carrier itself, the Type 055 large destroyer Nanchang and two Type 052D destroyers. By Sunday, the formation was assessed to be operating in international waters roughly 190 kilometers east of Kikaijima Island. Japanese officials also reported that aircraft from the carrier conducted around 50 launches and recoveries on each of the two days, which Tokyo sees as evidence of high-intensity training close to its airspace and sea lanes.
Chinese media quickly offered a different reading of the deployment. Military commentator Zhang Junshe noted that the Liaoning has in past years focused its drills on the southern and western parts of the western Pacific, and argued that extending training into more northerly areas is a natural next step as China’s carrier force matures. By operating northeast of the Ryukyu Islands and entering waters the ship has seldom visited before, the carrier group can familiarize itself with local sea and weather conditions that affect flight safety, anti-submarine warfare and overall combat readiness. From Beijing’s perspective, the mission is framed as normal far-seas training rather than a deliberate signal aimed at Japan.
Japan’s interpretation of the events is shaped in part by a related aerial encounter. Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi have accused Chinese carrier-based J-15 fighters of directing fire-control radar at Japan Air Self-Defense Force F-15 jets over international waters southeast of Okinawa during the Liaoning’s operations, describing the conduct as dangerous and unacceptable. Tokyo has lodged a formal protest and publicly warned that radar “lock-on” incidents increase the risk of miscalculation in already crowded airspace.
Chinese officials firmly dispute Japan’s account. Defense Ministry spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang says the Liaoning formation was conducting normal, pre-announced training east of the Miyako Strait in line with international law, and contends that Japanese aircraft repeatedly approached the exercise area at close range, interfering with Chinese activities. In his statement, Zhang accused Tokyo of smearing China’s actions and “crying thief” while it was, in Beijing’s view, Japanese aircraft that created safety risks.
China’s Foreign Ministry has echoed that position. Spokesperson Guo Jiakun has emphasized that carrier-borne aircraft switching on search radar during training is common practice to ensure situational awareness and flight safety. He argues that the core problem lies in Japanese fighter jets entering what China regards as its exercise and training zone to conduct close-in reconnaissance, and then using the resulting radar activity to portray itself as a victim. Beijing says it has lodged strong representations with Tokyo and is urging Japan to stop what it describes as dangerous interceptions and the spread of misleading information.
Behind the exchange of accusations is a broader pattern of growing friction over military activity in the western Pacific. China maintains that its carrier operations and air drills are lawful and part of its navy’s gradual shift toward sustained blue-water presence. Japan, for its part, warns that frequent high-tempo Chinese exercises near its southwestern islands heighten operational risks and complicate the defense of key maritime approaches. The Liaoning’s expanded training routes highlight Beijing’s ambition to project naval power deeper into the Pacific, while also underscoring the need for robust crisis-management mechanisms if similar incidents are to be contained rather than escalate.
Written by Teoman S. Nicanci – Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Teoman S. Nicanci holds degrees in Political Science, Comparative and International Politics, and International Relations and Diplomacy from leading Belgian universities, with research focused on Russian strategic behavior, defense technology, and modern warfare. He is a defense analyst at Army Recognition, specializing in the global defense industry, military armament, and emerging defense technologies.