China's 1st aircraft carrier undertakes live-fire exercise

Beijing: China's first aircraft carrier battle group has carried out its first live-fire exercise, announced the Defense Ministry. 

Dozens of ships and aircrafts took part in the exercise recently at the Bohai Sea in eastern China to test weapon performance and training levels, according to a statement posted on Thursday on the ministry's website.

The carrier, destroyers and frigates carried out exercises covering air interception, sea-based attacks and air-defense as well as reconnaissance, early warning and anti-missile systems. China-developed J-15 fighters carried live ammunition and performed strike exercises, the ministry said. 

Last month, the country said that its aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, was ready to engage in combat, marking a milestone for its navy that has invested heavily in its ability to project power far from China's shores.

The Liaoning was commissioned in 2013 after being purchased as an incomplete hull from Ukraine more than a decade ago.

While China hasn't described specifically how it intends to use the Liaoning, it is seen to help China reinforce its increasingly assertive claims over almost all of the South China Sea, which is home to key shipping lanes, rich fishing grounds and a potential wealth of mineral resources.

Five other governments claim the South Chinese maritime space either in part or in whole. Philippines and Vietnam in particular have sought assistance from the U.S. and others in beefing up their ability to resist China.