Chinese Aircraft Carrier Spotted Near Philippines. What Does It Mean?

The European Sentinel-1 satellite also detected the aircraft carrier patrolling the waters on the same day.

According to Sentinel-2, an aircraft carrier left Sanya, Hainan province, home port of the Shandong aircraft carrier, last week.

Neither the Chinese Defense Ministry nor the Philippine Defense Ministry have commented on the image. They also did not respond to The Washington Post's requests for comment.

Chester Cabalza, president and founder of the International Development and Security Cooperation, a Manila-based think tank, said the aircraft carrier patrol was an example of Beijing's “performative politics” that could become a common occurrence.

If so, it “would mean there is a wake-up call regarding their national security,” he said, adding that “once we see massive military force, that means Beijing preparing for war.

Song Zhongping, a former PLA instructor, said the aircraft carrier may later head to the western Pacific Ocean and rendezvous with four navy ships near the Philippine island of Palawan.

“Shandong can go to all these places, including the waters east of Taiwan, the western Pacific Ocean and the entire South China Sea. Aircraft carriers usually travel with battleships on their sides to protect them, so it is normal that [the Shandong and the navy ships] converge.”

Tensions between China and the Philippines have escalated over the Second Thomas Shoal, known as Renai Jiao in China and Ayungin Shoal in the Philippines.

In June, a Chinese coast guard ship intercepted several Philippine navy ships during a routine resupply mission for troops stationed on a ruined former warship on the shoal.

Chinese coast guard crew members armed with knives, machetes and other weapons intercepted Philippine troops, footage of the incident showed, leading to one Filipino losing a thumb.

While there is hope for dialogue – Philippine Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo said last week that Manila was working toward negotiations in July with Beijing over their South China Sea disputes – the Philippines is strengthening its relationship with the United States, a treaty partner.

The system can launch SM-6 missiles with a range of up to 370 km (230 miles) and cruise missiles that can carry conventional or nuclear warheads and have a range of up to 2,500 km, according to the Center for Strategic and International, based in Washington. Studies.

Ni, from Shanghai, said the Shandong patrol could also be a direct response to the U.S.-led Rimpac exercise, which began Thursday.

The Rim of the Pacific exercise is the world's largest international maritime military exercise and will take place near Hawaii through August. One of the main targets this year is an exercise to sink the USS Tarawa, a retired 40,000-ton amphibious assault ship. China is the only U.S. competitor in the Asia-Pacific region with a comparable warship.

Last year, the Shandong's focus was Taiwan, with the ship conducting offshore exercises off the island in April and September.