The carrier made a breakthrough of the first island chain, part of Washington's Western Pacific containment strategy aimed at Beijing.

China's Liaoning aircraft carrier conducted a training mission in the western Pacific, prompting a diplomatic dispute with Japan, which accused the vessels of entering its waters. China dismissed the claims,

China’s Liaoning carrier and two Type 052D guided-missile destroyers sailed from the East China Sea into Japan’s contiguous zones passing between the islands of Yonaguni and Iriomote on Tuesday and Wednesday, according to the Japanese Ministry of Defence.