First photos of Liaoning battle group made public By Zhao Lei BEIJING, Jan. 2 (Xinhuanet) -- The Chinese navy released on Wednesday the first photographs of what many military observers believe is the Liaoning aircraft carrier battle group as the nation's first aircraft carrier returned to its homeport of Qingdao, Shandong province. The photos show the Liaoning sailing with several battleships, submarines and military aircraft performing a series of drills. The navy did not disclose when and where they were taken. The carrier had successfully carried out 37 days of tests and training exercises in the South China Sea and returned to a People's Liberation Army's naval base in Qingdao, the navy said in a statement released on Wednesday. During the mission, the Liaoning conducted more than 100 drills and training exercises. The drills tested the structure's stress resistance, sailing speeds in deep water, navigational capabilities and weapons and equipment reliability," the statement said. The Liaoning left Qingdao on Nov 26 and was anchored at a naval base in Sanya, Hainan province, three days later. On Dec 5, it set out on the training mission. This is the carrier's first long-distance training voyage since it was commissioned in the PLA navy last year. The carrier completed its first comprehensive combat training during the mission and performed a formation drill with other Chinese ships and submarines in the battle group, another first for the Chinese navy, the statement said. Two missile destroyers, the Shenyang and Shijiazhuang, and two missile frigates, the Yantai and Weifang, participated in the mission. They escorted the carrier from Qingdao to Sanya. The use of four ships led military observers to speculate that the navy's carrier battle group has taken shape with the Liaoning as its core. Source: China Daily Full Story China's aircraft carrier passes through Taiwan Strait ABOARD LIAONING AIRCRAFT CARRIER, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- China's first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, passed through the Taiwan Strait on Thursday morning on its way to a training mission in the South China Sea. It took about 10 hours for the carrier and its four escort ships to get through the strait separating the Chinese mainland and Taiwan.Full story Aircraft carrier's voyage normal training arrangement: mainland spokeswoman BEIJING, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese mainland spokeswoman on Wednesday reiterated that the Liaoning aircraft carrier's South China Sea trial is a normal arrangement in its scheduled training. "We will continue to initiate new prospects in the peaceful development of cross-Strait relations," said Fan Liqing, of the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, at a press conference.Full story China's aircraft carrier leaves for sea trials ABOARD LIAONING AIRCRAFT CARRIER, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- China's first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, left its homeport of Qingdao in east China's Shandong Province for the South China Sea on Tuesday on a scientific and training mission. This is the first time the carrier has conducted a cross-sea training voyage since it was commissioned into thePeople's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy last year, according to the Liaoning's Captain Zhang Zheng.Full story In Pictures: Combo photo of Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning Aircraft carrier Liaoning's capability tested China's aircraft carrier carries out 1st docking manoeuver in Sanya