China’s Liaoning aircraft carrier and USS Theodore Roosevelt converge in Philippine Sea
Northeastward course could see Liaoning group enter Philippine Sea, where US, Japan and other allies are carrying out Keen Sword exercise
Philippine news channel BNC reported that the carrier group reached about 25 nautical miles (46km) east-southeast of Balut Island, the southernmost point of the Philippines, before sailing northeast on Friday.
That positioned the warships past the first island chain, a US-led strategic arc of maritime chokepoints running from Japan through Taiwan to the Philippines.
The four-strong Liaoning strike group includes the Type 055 large guided-missile destroyers Wuxi and Anshan, and the Type 052D guided-missile destroyer Huainan.
