A meeting between President Trump and President Putin is scheduled for August 15th in Alaska. Prior to the summit, the U.S. Coast Guard reported China’s deployment of five research vessels to the Arctic near Alaska. The Coast Guard is closely watching these ships and is prepared to act if any hostile actions are taken in Alaskan or U.S. Arctic waters. China claims to be a country “near the Arctic” and emphasizes its important role in the region. The country has increased its presence in the area in recent years, particularly with the deployment of three research vessels last year. The U.S. is concerned about China’s growing presence and its relationship with Russia. Therefore, the U.S. military has urged for increased military and surveillance capabilities in the Arctic. Newsweek’s maps detailed the movement of these Chinese vessels from their coastlines to Alaskan waters. Concurrently, American and Canadian icebreakers have been active in the area since late July. On August 5th and 6th, the U.S. Coast Guard reported observing two Chinese research vessels, Ji Di and Zhong Shan Da Xue Ji Di, in the Bering Sea and Bering Strait. On July 25th, another Chinese vessel, Xue Long 2, was observed over 230 miles off the coast of Alaska, where it remained as of August 6th.
Chinese Research Vessels’ Deployment Sparks Concern Ahead of Trump-Putin Summit in Alaska
