The Chinese Shandong aircraft carrier appeared near Taiwan as the US conducted the Rimpac exercise.

According to the Japanese Ministry of Defense, a Chinese aircraft carrier was spotted along with three escort ships east of the Bashi Channel, which separates Taiwan (China) and the Philippines.

Japanese forces were sent to monitor the ships, along with fighter jets and helicopters, practicing takeoffs and landings from the flight deck of the Shandong.

On July 11, China's Ministry of Defense confirmed that the aircraft carrier Shandong was being escorted by the Type 055 Yanan guided-missile destroyer, the Type 052D Guilin destroyer, and the Type 054A Yuncheng guided-missile frigate.

This exercise marks the Shandong's fourth mission in the Western Pacific in the past nine months.

The Chinese exercise coincided with the month-long Rim of the Pacific (Rimpac) exercise, the largest international naval exercise ever held by the U.S. Pacific Fleet every two years.

This year, Rimpac involves 29 countries, 40 surface ships, 3 submarines, more than 150 aircraft, and over 25.000 personnel. The exercise began near Hawaii on June 26 and will last until early August.

The US stated that the purpose of the exercise was "To prevent and defeat the aggression of great powers in all areas and levels of conflict."

One of the main objectives of the exercise will be to attempt to sink a retired 40.000-ton US warship. Besides the US, only China possesses this type of warship in the Indo-Pacific region.

Many of the countries participating in the exercise – including Japan, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei, and India – have territorial or maritime disputes with China, including in the South China Sea.

Also on July 11, Taiwan's defense ministry said that Chinese air force planes had conducted 26 flights around the island on July 9 and 37 flights the following day.

The aircraft, including fighter jets, bombers, drones, and early warning aircraft, originated from mainland China and flew into the Bashi Channel. Taiwan's defense ministry described this as a "joint air-naval training exercise" with the Shandong Task Force.

Taiwan's defense forces will also conduct their own drills later this month focusing on preventing a simulated amphibious landing.