China’s intensifying interest in the Arctic has aroused concerns in the US, which has been monitoring the progress of five Chinese icebreakers and research vessels since before they passed through the Bering Strait earlier this month.
Over the past five years, the Xue Long 2 has conducted nearly 10 scientific expeditions to both the Arctic and Antarctic.
According to the live tracker Maritime Optima, the Chinese vessels crossed the Bering Strait in quick succession from August 5 to 7 and are currently operating in the Arctic Ocean.
The fleet’s actions prompted a quick response from the US coastguard, which claimed the vessels came as close as 290 nautical miles (537km) from the Alaskan coast, right on the edge of the disputed area of the “extended continental shelf” claimed by the United States.
