Coast Guard warns of ‘increased Chinese research vessel activity’ in the US Arctic

The Coast Guard warned of “increased Chinese research vessel activity” in the U.S. Arctic as it responded to multiple vessels in the region.  

The agency said it recently “detected and responded to two Chinese research vessels operating in the U.S. Arctic and is currently monitoring a total of five similar vessels in or near the U.S Arctic.”

“On August 5, a C-130J Hercules fixed wing aircraft from Air Station Kodiak responded to the Chinese research vessels Ji Di and the Zhong Shan Da Xue Ji Di.  Both vessels were transiting northeast in the Bering Sea,” the Coast Guard said. 

“On August 6, the crew of U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Waesche (WMSL 751) again responded to the Zhong Shan Da Xue Ji Di as it was transiting north in the Chukchi Sea above the Arctic Circle, after passing through the Bering Strait,” they added. 

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The Coast Guard released a photo of the Zhong Shan Da Xue Ji Di as taken from the C-130J Hercules. They noted that the aircraft and Waesche were “patrolling under Operation Frontier Sentinel, an operation that responds to adversaries operating in and around Alaskan and U.S. Arctic waters.” 

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“In July, Coast Guard Arctic District deployed a C-130J Hercules fixed wing aircraft from Air Station Kodiak to query the Xue Long 2, another Chinese research vessel, approximately 290 nautical miles north of Utqiagvik, Alaska,” the Coast Guard also said. 

The sightings of the Chinese ships are part of a “three-year trend of increased activity” in the region, according to officials. 

“The Coast Guard Arctic District works in conjunction with international partners, U.S. Northern Command, and Alaskan Command to constantly monitor the activity of foreign vessels operating near U.S. sovereign waters and the extended outer continental shelf to ensure homeland security, homeland defense, and compliance with U.S. and international law,” the agency said.