BEIJING, June 22 (Reuters) - China's Liaoning aircraft carrier and accompanying vessels on ‌Monday returned to a Chinese port ‌after more than 40 days of drills in the ​South China Sea and the western Pacific Ocean, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported.

• The training focused on combat readiness, including ‌air defence, anti-ship ⁠strikes, support missions, long-range rescue and live-fire exercises, according to CCTV.

• ⁠The group carried out multiple rounds of ship-air offensive and defensive drills, it ​said.

• Joint ​exercises with an ​amphibious assault ship group ‌were also conducted in the western Pacific Ocean to enhance coordination in far-sea operations.

• CCTV also said that during the training, the Liaoning carrier group "professionally and prudently" ‌handled what the broadcaster ​called "repeated close-range tracking, harassment ​and provocation" ​by Japanese ships and aircraft.

• In ‌early June, Japan's defence ​ministry said ​it had monitored the Liaoning aircraft carrier and accompanying vessels operating east ​of the ‌Philippines' Luzon island in late May.

(Reporting by ​Shi Bu and Liz Lee; ​Editing by Edwina Gibbs)