Japan Says Two Chinese Aircraft Carriers Seen in Pacific

On Wednesday, March 5, 2025, China announced a 7.2% increase in its 2025 national defense budget, bringing total military spending to $249 billion.
File image of the PLA Navy dual carrier armada, the Liaoning and Shandong aircraft carriers. Image via the People's Liberation Army.

By Kyoko Hasegawa and Katie Forster

Two Chinese aircraft carriers were operating in the Pacific for the first time, according to Japan, whose defense minister said Tuesday the move revealed the expansion of Beijing’s military activities.

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