15 August 2025, Friday
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The US Coast Guard is monitoring increased activity by Chinese research vessels operating in Arctic waters.
The US Coast Guard has reported tracking two Chinese research vessels in the Arctic, continuing a three-year trend of increased Chinese maritime presence in the region, reported Fort Lauderdale's Maritime Executive.
On 5 August, a C-130J Hercules aircraft from Air Station Kodiak identified and tracked the Ji Di and the Zhong Shan Da Xue Ji Di as they transited northeast through the Bering Sea. The following day, the cutter Waesche located the Zhong Shan Da Xue Ji Di again, this time in the Chukchi Sea above the Arctic Circle.
These sightings follow a 26 July report of the Xue Long 2, another Chinese research vessel, spotted 290 nautical miles north of Utqiagvik, Alaska.
The Coast Guard said it is currently monitoring five Chinese research vessels in or near the US Arctic, compared with three last year.
The Coast Guard Arctic District, working with US Northern Command, Alaskan Command, and international partners, is conducting surveillance under Operation Frontier Sentinel. The operation aims to counter malign activity, defend sovereign interests, and promote maritime conduct aligned with international law.
China responded angrily to the July encounter, accusing the US of being a "rule-breaker" and "global troublemaker." Chinese officials said their vessels were in international waters and claimed that other nations, including Canada, Denmark, Norway, and Russia, have also made sovereign claims in the Arctic due to its resource potential.
