The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) has extended its operational footprint deeper into the Western Pacific, with its Liaoning aircraft carrier strike group conducting what appears to be its farthest deployment southward to date, according to a report from Japan’s Joint Staff Office (JSO).
The carrier group shifted its activities from the waters east of Taiwan to a position east of Samar Island in the central Philippines an area much closer to Philippine territorial waters than in previous operations.
This latest movement, observed between May 25 and May 30, featured a series of intensive flight operations and coordinated naval drills. The deployment signals a notable adjustment in the PLAN’s regional posture and is widely viewed as part of a broader effort by Beijing to project power across the Indo-Pacific.
Tracking data released by the JSO confirmed that the CNS Liaoning (Hull 16) China’s first operational aircraft carrier led the formation as it transited southward, conducting flight exercises and maritime maneuvers while moving toward the strategic corridor between Samar and the U.S. island territory of Guam.
Military analysts note that this deployment underscores the Chinese Navy’s growing capability and willingness to operate farther from home waters, enhancing its reach into strategically sensitive areas. The increased naval activity is likely to raise renewed concerns in both Manila and Washington, as tensions continue to simmer over territorial disputes and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea and surrounding waters.