The people's liberation army navy task
force, comprising a guided missile
cruiser, a guided missile destroyer, a
general intelligence vessel and an
auxiliary vessel was conducting military
and surveillance operations in the Bering Sea and North Pacific Ocean.
The chinese vessels entered the u.s
exclusive economic zone, but remained in
international waters. The ships were in the eez from august 29
to september 1st, a coast guard official
told insider monday evening.
The closest the vessels came to u.s
territory was when they sailed within
about 46 miles, 74 kilometers of one of
the Aleutian islands. Territorial waters extend 12 miles (19 KM) from the coast. The EEZ extends roughly 230 miles (370 KM).
The four chinese warships were shadowed
and monitored by the u.s coast guard Cutters Bertholf and Kimball and are
visible in coast guard images. The crew of the bertholf made radio
contact with the chinese ships and the
service said all interactions were
consistent with international standards.
Security in the bering sea and the Arctic is homeland security, coast guard
pacific area Commander Vice Adm Michael Mcallister said in a statement
adding that the u.s coast guard is
continuously present in this important
region to uphold american interests and
protect u.s economic prosperity.
In a report published monday
state-affiliated tabloid Global Times
cited Chinese analysts as saying the
activity could be seen as a
counter-measure against u.s military
provocations on China's doorsteps in the
name of freedom of navigation.
Last week the USS Carl Vinson, the first
aircraft carrier to deploy with F-35C Stealth Fighters, sailed into the South China Sea. The destroyer USS Benfold also conducted
a freedom of navigation operation in the Spratly Islands, contested territories
claimed by China.
China frequently protests foreign naval
operations in those waters and chinese
media characterized those activities as
a provocative deployment and the chinese
military accused the u.s of trespassing
and violating its sovereignty.
The u.s navy's seventh fleet said u.s
forces would continue to fly, sail and
operate wherever international law
allows and that nothing china says
otherwise will deter us.
News of chinese naval activity near Alaska follows a call by Whu Zaigen, the
editor-in-chief of the state-affiliated Global Times, for chinese warships to
sail near u.s territory in response to
recent U.S Navy activity in the South China Sea. Though the activity observed
by the coast guard recently predates
whose tweets.
U.S Navy chief of information rear adm, Charles Brown responded to who's tweets
writing that the u.s navy has upheld the
standards of freedom of navigation
longer than the PLA navy has existed. Brown then provided past examples of
chinese warships sailing near Alaska, Guam and Hawaii.
Chinese warships first operated off Alaska's coast in 2015, when they entered
u.s territorial waters while sailing
through the aleutian islands. The US Navy at the time acknowledged
that the chinese ships conducted illegal
transit.
The Aleutians stretch from Mainland Alaska west across the North Pacific. The
remote and rugged islands sit on the
approaches to the bering strait, where
naval activity is set to increase as the Arctic becomes more accessible.
The U.S Military has increased its
activity in Alaska. Officials have even
suggested reopening a base in the
aleutians, reflecting what defense
secretary Lloyd Austin has said as how
strategically important Alaska is to our
national security and to homeland
defence.
