Aircraft carrier tests going well: Beijing

BEIJING - Reuters

China’s first aircraft carrier, which was renovated from an old aircraft carrier that China bought from Ukraine in 1998, is seen docked at Dalian Port. REUTERS photo

China’s first and only aircraft carrier has successfully carried out a series of tests during a training mission in the disputed South China Sea, state media reported today. 

This month’s drills off the coast of Hainan Island mark not only the first time China has sent a carrier into the South China Sea but the first time it has maneuvered with the kind of strike group of escort ships U.S. carriers deploy, according to regional military officers and analysts. 

The Liaoning has carried out more than 100 tests, including of its combat systems, and training tasks since early December, the official English-language China Daily said. 

“The Liaoning successfully performed several tests of the combat system today and organized for the first time comprehensive combat training,” the newspaper cited the navy saying in a statement.