China aircraft carrier conducts drills in Pacific, Japan scrambles jets

China's navy conducted training flights in the Pacific Ocean on Saturday from its aircraft carrier Liaoning after the ship passed through waters off Japan's southernmost prefecture of Okinawa, prompting the Self-Defense Forces to scramble some aircraft, the Defense Ministry said.The latest takeoff and landing drills involving Chinese fighters and helicopters marked the first to be confirmed in waters around Japan since China commissioned its third aircraft carrier, the Fujian, last month. They come amid heightened diplomatic tensions between the Asian neighbors.China is thought to be testin…READ FULL ARTICLE