中国空母発着艦３００回超　演習終え帰途か、東シナ海へ―防衛省

　防衛省は２２日、今月初めから沖縄南方の太平洋で活動を続けていた中国海軍の空母「遼寧」などの艦隊が沖縄本島と宮古島の間を北上し、太平洋から東シナ海へ入ったと発表した。演習を終え、中国に戻るとみられる。
　海上自衛隊などは遼寧が活動期間中に艦載機の発着艦を３００回以上実施したのを確認。過去最多で、実施海域も日本の南西諸島や台湾により近い場所だった。防衛省は中国が遠洋での空母運用能力を高めているとみて、警戒を強めている。
　同省によると、２１日午後５時ごろ、沖縄県の宮古島の東約２２０キロの海域を西進する遼寧やミサイル駆逐艦など５隻を海自の哨戒機などが確認。艦隊はその後、沖縄本島と宮古島の間を北西に向かい、東シナ海に進んだ。同時に太平洋に進出した３隻も別に中国に戻ったといい、一連の訓練は終了したとみられる。（2022/05/22-22:09）

A fleet of Chinese navy ships including the aircraft carrier Liaoning, which had been operating in Pacific waters south of the southernmost Japan prefecture of Okinawa since early May, headed north and entered the East China Sea, the Japanese Defense Ministry said Sunday.
   The fleet is believed to be heading back to China after completing a series of exercises.
   The number of aircraft takeoffs from and landings on the Liaoning confirmed by Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force and others exceeded 300 during the period in which the flattop operated near Japan this month. As the number hit a record high and the Liaoning operated in waters closer to the Nansei southwestern islands in Japan and Taiwan compared with its past operations, the Japanese Defense Ministry is carefully monitoring the situation, seeing that China may be working to enhance its capabilities to operate aircraft carriers in distant seas.
   The Liaoning-based aircraft flew near Japan's air defense identification zone. They also took off from and landed on the flattop multiple times even at nighttime.