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.
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The fleet is led by the domestically built Xue Long 2, one of the world’s newest generation polar research icebreakers and the first to adopt an intelligent hull and engine room design.
Over the past five years, the Xue Long 2 has conducted nearly 10 scientific expeditions to both the Arctic and Antarctic.
On this expedition, it is accompanied by the Shenhai Yihao, which is equipped with a deep-sea submersible, Jidi – which made its first trip to the Arctic last year. Also sailing along are China’s newest icebreaker, the Tansuo Sanhao, and its oldest – the Zhongshan Daxue Jidi.
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.
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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.