Canada and the United States have been discreetly monitoring two Chinese icebreaking research vessels in Arctic waters near Alaska for the past few weeks. The ships, Xue Long (Snow Dragon) and Xue Long 2, navigated north through the U.S. exclusive economic zone in the Bering Sea in July, as reported by the U.S. Coast Guard.
The presence of Chinese research vessels in the Arctic Ocean during summers in recent years has raised concerns among security and defense authorities. Independent research consultant and ship tracker, Steffan Watkins, has gathered data showing that a Royal Canadian Air Force CP-140 surveillance plane has been active in Alaska since early July.
The Department of National Defence confirmed that the Canadian Joint Operations Command is actively monitoring the movements of the two Chinese vessels in coordination with the U.S. military. The vessels are currently operating outside of Canada’s exclusive economic zone, where the country holds rights to resources and jurisdiction over activities like research and protection of the marine environment.
In response to inquiries about the Chinese ships, Defence Minister David McGuinty stated that the Canadian military actively monitors the country’s waters. China, asserting itself as a near-Arctic state, claims that its icebreakers are deployed for peaceful scientific research, environmental monitoring, and climate change studies. However, these research vessels have been known to deploy advanced sonar and telemetry buoys, which Western defense officials say are capable of tracking submarine activity.
Richard Shimooka, a defense researcher at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, highlighted the multifunctional capabilities of the Chinese research ships and raised questions about their activities in mapping regional subsea networks. Canada’s increased presence in the western Pacific, particularly in the Bering Sea region off Alaska, under Operation Latitude, has been emphasized. However, limitations exist due to the aging fleet of Canadian frigates and coast guard ships.
Members of the House of Commons defense committee, including Conservative defense critic James Bezan, stress the need for enhanced surveillance and monitoring in the Arctic region. The federal government has initiated investments in the construction of new destroyers, the acquisition of Arctic-capable submarines, and the deployment of undersea sensor networks to safeguard the country’s sovereignty in the Arctic.
Bezan emphasized the urgency of bolstering Arctic defenses, citing challenges from Russia and China that do not acknowledge Canada’s maritime claims in the Far North. Protecting and defending the Arctic’s vast energy resources, including those in the Beaufort Sea, is a priority to safeguard against potential adversaries.