China says Liaoning aircraft carrier completes over 40 days of drills

BEIJING - China's Liaoning aircraft carrier and accompanying vessels on Monday returned to a Chinese port after more than 40 days of drills in the South China Sea and the western Pacific Ocean, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported.

• The training focused on combat readiness, including air defence, anti-ship strikes, support missions, long-range rescue and live-fire exercises, according to CCTV.

• The group carried out multiple rounds of ship-air offensive and defensive drills, it said.

• Joint exercises with an amphibious assault ship group were also conducted in the western Pacific Ocean to enhance coordination in far-sea operations.

• CCTV also said that during the training, the Liaoning carrier group "professionally and prudently" handled what the broadcaster called "repeated close-range tracking, harassment and provocation" by Japanese ships and aircraft.

• In early June, Japan's defence ministry said it had monitored the Liaoning aircraft carrier and accompanying vessels operating east of the Philippines' Luzon island in late May.

(Reporting by Shi Bu and Liz Lee; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)

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This story was originally published June 22, 2026 at 5:26 AM.