Aircraft carriers from the United States, France,and Japan concluded a naval exercise in the Western Pacific waters east of the Philippines this week. Meanwhile, China, which has the largest navy in the world by hull count, did not send any of its aircraft carriers to sea. Newsweek‘s weekly update maps aircraft carrier movements in the…
Two United States allies in the South Pacific on Thursday sounded alarms on the “unusual” and “significant” presence of Chinese naval ships in the waters between them. The Chinese Defense Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Why It Matters Both Australia and New Zealand signed a security treaty with the U.S….
Australia dispatched warships to track a Chinese flotilla off the country’s east coast, according to a newspaper report. It comes as China expands its naval reach and presence in the Pacific Ocean. Newsweek has emailed both the Australian and Chinese defense ministries for comment. Why It Matters China has the largest navy in the world…
The Chinese military said it expelled a Philippine plane from airspace over Scarborough Shoal on Tuesday in a manoeuvre that the Philippine coastguard described as reckless. The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) said a C-208 light utility plane sent by the Philippines “illegally invaded the airspace” above the shoal, known in China as Huangyan Island and…
A video released by the Taiwanese military shows a Chinese amphibious assault ship operating near the coast of Taiwan. The Chinese Defense Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Why It Matters The Chinese Communist Party claims Taiwan, which is a security partner of the United States, as part of its territory…
China held a defense meeting on Monday with Australia, a major ally of the United States in the contested Western Pacific Ocean, just days after encounters involving their militaries. Why It Matters Australia accused China of an “unsafe and unprofessional” encounter after one of its warplanes intercepted an Australian Defence Force helicopter on May 4,…
The Chinese military claimed that it deployed forces against a Canadian warship, which transited a contested waterway between China and the self-governed island of Taiwan. Newsweek has reached out to the Canadian Armed Forces for comment by email. Why It Matters China has long claimed that it has “sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction” over the…
The Chinese military carried out what it called “routine patrols” in the South China Sea on Wednesday after the United States and its allies held war games in the contested waters. Newsweek has contacted the Pentagon and the Philippine military for comment by email. Why It Matters China has long claimed sovereignty over most of…
A Chinese jet fighter has released flares in front of an Australian military plane during what Defence describes as an “unsafe and unprofessional” interaction in the South China Sea this week. Officials have revealed the encounter occurred on Tuesday during daylight hours, with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) J-16 released within 30 metres of the…
A Chinese flotilla was spotted sailing toward the wider Western Pacific Ocean this week, the Japanese Defense Ministry reported, which included a suspected laser-armed warship. Newsweek has reached out to the Chinese Defense Ministry for comment by email. Why It Matters China has the largest navy in the world by hull count, with over 370…