The People’s Liberation Army Air Force and Navy drilled with the Shandong Carrier Strike Group near Taiwan on Tuesday, according to the Taiwan Ministry of National Defense (MND). In other developments, the Carl Vinson CSG, along with Australian and Canadian forces, will participate in drills for 12 days with the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) as part of the JMSDF Annual Exercise 2023.
On Tuesday, the Taiwan MND posted on social media that it had detected PLA aircraft that morning, including J-11, J-16 and SU-30 fighters, Y-20 tankers, H-6 bombers, KJ-500 airborne early warning and control (AEW&C), Y-8 electronic intelligence, Y-9 communications countermeasures and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV). According to the post, 23 of the aircraft entered Taiwan’s Southwest Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) and conducted joint combat patrols with the Shandong CSG. “Republic of China Armed Forces have monitored the situation and tasked CAP aircraft, Navy vessels, and land-based missile systems to respond,” concluded the post.
On Wednesday, the Taiwan MND posted its daily statement of PLA aircraft and PLAN ship activity around Taiwan within a 24-hour period and said that a total of 43 PLA aircraft and seven PLAN ships were detected near Taiwan and that a total of 37 aircraft had entered Taiwan’s southwest and southeast ADIZ.
The Shandong CSG deployed into the western Pacific on Thursday and is comprised of carrier CNS Shandong (17) together with destroyers CNS Guilin (164) and CNS Changsha (173) and frigates CNS Xuchang (536) and CNS Huangshan (570), based on a Saturday Japan Ministry of Defense release. The release also said that JMSDF destroyer JS Sazanami (DD-113) was monitoring the PLAN CSG.
Meanwhile, the Carl Vinson CSG along with Australian and Canadian forces will take part in the Japan Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) Annual Exercise 2023 held from Nov. 10 to the 20 in Japan’s seas and airspace according to a Tuesday JMSDF release. The objectives of the exercise is to train tactical judgment by commanding officers and unit operational procedures, to enhance JMSDF capabilities to execute missions and to strengthen cooperation. The forces participating are:
JMSDF:
- Destroyer helicopter carrier JS Hyuga (DDH-181) and 15 other ships P-1 maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) and around 20 other JMSDF aircraft
U.S. Navy:
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- Carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) and 10 other ships
- P-8 Poseidon MPA and around 10 other aircraft
Australia:
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- Destroyer HMAS Brisbane (DDG-41) and one other ship
- One RAAF P-8 Poseidon MPA
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Canada:
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- Frigate HMCS Vancouver (FFH-331) and two other ships
- One RCAF CP-140 MPA
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The other RAN ship is expected to be either frigate HMAS Toowoomba (FFH-156) or fleet oiler HMAS Stalwart (A-304), which, together with Brisbane, are on a regional presence and engagement deployment in the Indo-Pacific. Frigate HMCS Ottawa (FFH-341) and fleet oiler MV Asterix are expected to be the two other Canadian ships as both are deployed in the region with Vancouver on a regional presence and engagement deployment. The release stated that the exercise is the JMSDF’s largest since 1954, that this year’s exercise will be the first time that the Philippine Navy will participate by deploying staff officers as observers.
The Philippines’ participation follows previous engagements and exercises held by the United States and partner nations with the Philippines as that nation continues to assert its sovereignty against China over claims in the South China Sea. On Monday, the PLA Southern Theatre Command issued a statement saying that Philippine Navy corvette BRP Conrado Yap (PS-39) illegally entered the waters off Scarborough Shoal that day. Scarborough Shoal is a rock in the South China Sea lying 119 nautical miles west from the Philippines’ main island on Luzon and claimed by both the Philippines and China, though since 2012, China has maintained a continuous presence.
In a statement on Tuesday, Philippines’ National Security Advisor Eduardo Ano stated that under international law, the Philippines has every right to patrol the length and breadth of the West Philippine Sea, and that no Chinese sovereignty was violated given Scarborough Shoal was part of the Philippines archipelago and exclusive economic zone.
The statement went on to add that Coronado Yap was shadowed by Chinese ships. “China is again overhyping this incident and creating unnecessary tensions between our two (2) nations. Nonetheless, the AFP and PCG will not be deterred by the aggressive and illegal activities of PLAN Navy/China Coast Guard/Militia in the West Philippine Sea,” read the statement, which urged China to act responsibly, respect the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, adhere to the 2016 Arbitral Ruling, promote the rules-based international order and stop its aggressive and illegal actions in Philippine waters.
In Japan on Tuesday, during his regular press conference, Japan Defense Minister Minoru Kihara stated that the order for Japan’s military to destroy any North Korean missile that might fall on Japanese territory would remain in place, even though North Korea had not carried out a promised October launch of a reconnaissance satellite. Kihara was asked about the status of the order, which had been issued on May 29 in response to North Korea’s announcement that it would launch a reconnaissance satellite. Since then, North Korea has conducted two failed launches, one in May and the other in August. “Although October has already passed, there is a possibility that North Korea will continue to carry out launches using ballistic missile technology, and the Ministry of Defense will continue with the destruction order,” said Kihara.
Japan deployed Patriot PAC-3 missiles and JMSDF Aegis-equipped destroyers around its southwest islands to carry out the order should it be necessary, and Kihara stated that these units will continue to remain on station.
