The nation has conducted its first dual aircraft carrier formation exercise in the South China Sea, state media said on Thursday.

Broadcaster CCTV said the drills involving the Liaoning and Shandong that took place "in an area of the South China Sea" intended to "hone and enhance the combat capability of the aircraft carrier formation system”.

In a post accompanied by a video of jets taking off from and landing on the two carriers, CCTV said the exercises also took place in the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea. Xinhua News Agency said the drills “featured multiple subjects under real-combat circumstances”.

The reports did not specify when the exercises took place, though they said the broader naval mission had overlapped with public holidays that spanned late September to October.

The Liaoning is China's first aircraft carrier, having been commissioned in 2012. The Shandong entered service in 2019, while a third carrier, the Fujian, is undergoing sea trials. (Additional reporting by AFP)