U.S. Coast Guard monitors Chinese ships off Alaska coast

(The Center Square) – The U.S. Coast Guard is actively engaged in Arctic defense, monitoring and dealing with potential national security threats posed by Chinese ships. Last summer, the Coast Guard chased away Chinese vessels.

This week, a USCG Arctic cutter crew monitored two Chinese research ships that entered U.S. waters. The Chinese-flagged Xue Long transited north through the U.S. exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and over the U.S. extended continental shelf in the Bering Sea with a declared destination of the Arctic. The Xue Long 2, another China-flagged vessel, also transited to the Arctic, the USCG announced late Friday.

“For the first time this year, Chinese vessels were tracked transiting through the U.S. EEZ and over the U.S. extended continental shelf (continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles of shore) in the Bering Sea,” the USCG said. In respo...