US Coast Guard watching Chinese marine presence off Alaska

The United States is closely monitoring China's activities in its Arctic waters due to security concerns, Rear Admiral Bob Little, Commander of the US Coast Guard's Arctic District, told Reuters. So far in 2026, four Chinese research vessels have conducted work offshore in the US Arctic, compared to a total of five in 2025.

These Chinese ships sailed in the maritime zones off Alaska, including the Aleutian Islands, into the Bering Strait, and as far north as the North Pole. Little stated that the US has a security concern when these vessels operate within US exclusive economic zones or over its extended continental shelf.

The vessels have remained in international waters but did not notify the US in advance through diplomatic channels, which is the usual practice. When queried, their typical response is that they are conducting operations in international waters or scientific research.

Concerns are twofold: that China may be conducting scientific research focused on mineral exploitation of the seabed in an area belonging to the US, and that these activities might provide China with a military advantage or pose a security threat to the United States. China, which calls itself a "near-Arctic" state and aims to create a "Polar Silk Road," has increased its presence in the region in recent years, sometimes in joint operations with Russia and sometimes alone.

Little also discussed with international colleagues how they are dealing with similar activities by Russian research vessels, noting that it's easy to find examples of hybrid threats and activities in areas like the Barents or Baltic Seas, referring to Russia as a "nation-state that's my neighbour on the western side of the Arctic." Moscow denies that its research vessels conduct illegal activity or pose a threat to US interests.