Commentary Japan’s Defense Ministry announced on April 4 that the Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning had crossed the Miyako Strait. The next day, China’s state-run media outlets Xinhua News and Global Times released information on the cross-sea exercise led by the People’s Liberation Army Navy. It is uncommon for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to release information about aircraft carrier training in a timely manner. However, the news reports were full of contradictory information. The title of Xinhua’s report implied that the Liaoning took part in an open sea exercise, but the content was about offshore routine training near Taiwan. So, is the aircraft carrier ready for combat in the open seas? Is the Liaoning Capable of Open-Sea Operations? According to the PLA Navy’s statement, the exercises near Taiwan were aimed at enhancing their “capability to safeguard national sovereignty, security, and development interests.” The CCP’s intention to form an aircraft carrier fleet is, of …