The Chinese military recently released footage of a close encounter between its aircraft carrier group and a Japanese warship. This event occurred during a deployment in the Western Pacific Ocean. Such encounters have become frequent as China’s navy expands and exercises more often beyond its coastal waters.

According to the Chinese military, Japanese military ships and aircraft consistently tracked, surveilled, and provoked the Liaoning carrier group during its deployment. This deployment lasted over 40 days across the South China Sea and the Philippine Sea. The Chinese carrier group addressed Japan’s actions professionally, as per the official statement. However, the Japanese government has not commented publicly, nor has its Defense Ministry responded to a request for comment.

Tensions between Japan and China have heightened due to Japan’s military modernization, supported by the U.S., which has led to warnings from China regarding a potential resurgence of Japanese militarism. The Liaoning, China’s first operational aircraft carrier, has been active since 2012. China shared the undated video as the Liaoning concluded its “far-seas combat training” and returned to its home port in Qingdao.

Footage broadcast by China’s state media showed the Liaoning being shadowed by the Japanese destroyer JS Asahi, with additional surveillance from Japanese patrol planes overhead. The Japanese Defense Ministry’s Joint Staff Office monitored the Liaoning’s movements as they entered the Philippine Sea mid-May. The Liaoning and its escorts reached the area the subsequent week.

The Liaoning strike group conducted multiple carrier jet and helicopter operations east of the Philippines during early June. Confirmation came that the Japanese destroyer Asahi monitored the Liaoning’s return to the East China Sea on June 20.

A separate encounter involving a Chinese fighter jet and a U.S. Navy patrol aircraft was reported by China Daily, featuring a photograph of the incident. No date was provided, and this encounter wasn’t included in official Chinese military releases. The U.S. Pacific Command has yet to comment.

The recent Liaoning deployment marked its first presence in wider Pacific waters since December. Last year, China’s Liaoning and Shandong carriers were deployed together in the Philippine Sea. The Chinese military stated the latest deployment included combat exercises, flight drills, and search and rescue training. The navy emphasized that this routine exercise aligns with its annual plan, adheres to international law, and isn’t aimed at any specific nation.