Chinese navy sails between Japanese islands near Taiwan

A handout photo released by Japan's Ministry of Defence Joint Staff Office shows the Chinese aircraft carrier Liaoning at sea in waters near Japan's southern Okinawa region (Credit: AFP)

A Chinese aircraft carrier sailed between two Japanese islands near Taiwan for the first time, Japan's military said on Wednesday, in the latest move by Beijing to anger the close US ally.

Japan's government said it was the first time that a Chinese aircraft carrier, which was accompanied by two destroyers, entered its contiguous zone, an area within 24 nautical miles of the Japanese coast.