News Analysis The Chinese Navy’s Liaoning carrier group followed international rules and performed what seemed like routine training in the Western Pacific last month. But it raises concerns regarding the regime’s ambitions and capabilities. The Liaoning, China’s first commissioned carrier, returned to its homeport of Qingdao on Dec. 30 from deployment, after about 20 days of training maneuvers across the East China Sea. Its mission and training are important indicators that help analysts learn more about the regime’s capabilities and potential aggression. The first major importance was the location of the training. The carrier force moved through the Miyako Strait, and is an important point between Japanese islands and Taiwan through which the regime’s forces would have to pass if they were to attack Japan and access the Pacific past the first island chain. During the maneuvers of the Chinese carrier group, it conducted formation search and rescue, and tactical flight …