The US Coast Guard is responding to the presence of five Chinese research vessels operating in the US Arctic, officials confirmed this week.
The Coast Guard Arctic District deployed a C-130J Hercules aircraft from Air Station Kodiak on Wednesday to query the vessels, which are operating in or near US waters. The operation was conducted in coordination with US Northern Command and Alaskan Command, which routinely track foreign vessel activity in the region as part of homeland defense and maritime security efforts.
The Chinese vessels identified are: Xue Long 2, Shen Hai Yi Hao, Zhong Shan Da Xue Ji Di (Liberia-flagged), Ji Di, and Tan Suo San Hao.
Rear Adm. Bob Little, commander of the Coast Guard’s Arctic District, said the expanding fleet and aviation patrols are vital for countering foreign influence in the far north.
Last week the Coast Guard officially commissioned the icebreaker cutter Storis in Juneau and on Saturday the Storis arrived in Seward.
“Commissioning the Storis and Earl Cunningham increases our ability to control, secure, and defend Alaska’s U.S. border and maritime approaches,” Little said, referencing the service’s newest polar icebreaker and fast response cutter, both added to the fleet this summer. “As we continue to grow our surface fleet, we utilize our aviation resources which play a vital role in countering foreign malign influence.”
The Arctic is rapidly emerging as a global zone of competition, with China, Russia, and the US all maneuvering for influence over shipping lanes, resources, and strategic positioning. The Coast Guard remains the only US surface presence in the Arctic, a role that has grown more critical as activity in the region intensifies.
President Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill,” signed into law on July 4, directs nearly $25 billion to the Coast Guard — the largest investment in its history. It includes new icebreakers and Fast Response Cutters to strengthen Arctic security and US maritime defense.
The Arctic region is a prime example of the need for a comprehensive peace plan/security structure between the US and Russia.
The sea lanes between the Seward Peninsula and Chukotka are primarily used for Russian oil/gas and manufactured goods.
As most of Asia and the countries between China and Russia are economically separating themselves from the US/Euro block and ending the US$ as the primary currency medium of international commerce, China has specific and critical interests in maintaining the security of this route.
While the Trump Administration might be serious and achieve a viable and normalized relations with the major nations we have alienated, the instability of American foreign policy could result in sabotage or obstruction of the route.
Although no one here mentions it, the fact we blew up the Nordstream pipeline, a crippling blow to the manufacturing base of Germany, a supposed ally, is not lost on foreign countries with whom we are at war or obviously planning to in the future.
There are 2 or more sides to every issue, and not considering the motives, interests and goals of opponents is foolish.
Do you have evidence about your assertion regarding Nordstream pipeline damage or is that just an unsubstantiated statement?
You don’t remember when Biden publically declared Nordstream would be destroyed?
It was blown up in shallow Danish/NATO waters.
Maybe you believe the private yacht with 4 Ukrainians, the Adromeda accomplished this very technical sabotage.
It is astonishing the lack of interest Germany has shown, wiping out their industry, and increasing power costs by 4x what the average was before.
You said, “The sea lanes between the Seward Peninsula and Chukotka are primarily used for Russian oil/gas and manufactured goods.” Please identify the Russian manufactured goods to which you referred? Fact is Russia manufactures nothing that the world wants. Oil and gas yes, manufactured goods not really.
Oil and gas to China and manufactured goods back, please familiarize yourself with modern trade patterns.
If our military leaders had any foresight, we’d be building a deep-water US Navy port in Alaska. I suggest Whittier, at least for a starting point. We will be needing one, I guarantee.
China is searching for a shallow area of the Arctic Ocean where they can build an island as they have done in the South China Sea. Once constructed, the island would be militarized, and China could claim a 200 mile economic zone around it.
What’s the problem? Run ’em off! The world is ours to plunder–ours only!
The CCP continues their aggression disguising it as research! Sanction the hell out of them!
Get the CCP out of this hemisphere and especially out of the USA! China has been using unrestricted warfare against us for decades! The WOKE CCP infiltration is all around us, trying to eradicate western civilization forever!
The inability to recognize enemy infiltration will result in defeat. The CCP has gifted the USA with more than one Trojan Hourse!!
Yeah, research, right! Let them know the next time it happens, we will sink it. Remember the USS Pueblo. I think we know what our enemies are capable of.
Good thing our new Ice Breaker is only 2500 miles away.