The U.S. Coast Guard monitored two Chinese research vessels this week as they traveled north through the U.S. exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and over the U.S. extended continental shelf in the Bering Sea.
The ships, identified as the Xue Long and the Xue Long 2, declared their destination as the Arctic. This transit marks the first time this year that Chinese vessels have been tracked passing through the U.S. EEZ and the extended continental shelf, which refers to the continental shelf that stretches past 200 nautical miles from the shore.
In response to the transit, the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Munro deployed under Operation Frontier Sentinel. According to official guidelines, the operation aims to monitor the vessels, protect U.S. sovereign rights, maintain alignment with international law, and allow the Coast Guard to respond if any malign activity is detected.
Under international law, foreign vessels are allowed to transit through the U.S. EEZ and over the extended continental shelf.
However, the Coast Guard noted that conducting active marine scientific research in these zones requires advance permission from the U.S. government, as well as the sharing of any data collected during the research.
The Coast Guard reported observing a rise in maritime activity in the U.S. Arctic over recent years and stated that it expects this presence to continue growing throughout the summer.
“Alongside the Department of War, the Department of State, and our international partners, we are actively responding to competitor activities across an increasingly contested Arctic,” said Rear Adm. Bob Little, commander of the U.S. Coast Guard Arctic District.
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