China’s Liaoning aircraft carrier and USS Theodore Roosevelt converge in Philippine Sea

China’s Liaoning aircraft carrier strike group sailed beyond the first island chain last week to reach the southernmost waters of the Philippines, suggesting an intent to position itself closer to ongoing US-Japan joint exercises. 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...