The People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force conducted a drill involving "multiple types of aircraft" in the western Pacific on Friday, a military spokesman has said.
PLA aircraft flew over the western Pacific via the Bashi Channel and returned on the same day, reaching 1,000 km beyond the First Island Chain, spokesman Shen Jinke said at a news briefing.
The First Island Chain refers to a series of islands that stretch from Japan in the north to Taiwan and the Philippines to the south.
"[The drill] is in line with international laws and practices, and doesn't aim at any specific country, region or target," Shen said, adding that aviation troops have improved their maneuvering and combat abilities over the open sea.
