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 Xue Long (Snow Dragon) and Xue Long 2 ships traveled 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 officials. Data gathered by independent research consultant and ship tracker Steffan Watkins revealed that a Royal Canadian Air Force CP-140 surveillance plane has been conducting operations from Alaska since early July.

The Canadian Department of National Defence confirmed that the surveillance plane has been monitoring the activities of the Chinese vessels in coordination with the U.S. forces. The vessels are currently operating outside of Canada’s exclusive economic zone, where the country holds sovereign rights over resources and jurisdiction over research and environmental protection activities.

Last year, the Canadian military initiated Operation Latitude to enhance monitoring of northern waters and collaborate with allies in the Pacific, including the Bering Sea off Alaska. The Royal Canadian Navy has deployed vessels like HMCS Ottawa, HMCS Max Bernays, and HMCS Robert Hampton Gray, along with air force surveillance aircraft and the icebreaker CCGS Des Groseilliers.

Defence Minister David McGuinty stated that the Canadian military actively surveils the country’s waters. China, positioning itself as a near-Arctic state, claims that its icebreakers are solely for peaceful scientific research, environmental monitoring, and climate change studies. However, these research ships have been observed deploying advanced sonar and telemetry buoys that can track environmental changes and submarine activities.

Western defense officials are concerned about the capabilities of these research vessels, as they could potentially gather sensitive information. Richard Shimooka, a defense researcher, highlighted the importance of monitoring the activities of Chinese ships in the Arctic region.

Canada is increasingly involved in the western Pacific, especially as the U.S. Navy focuses on other regions. However, due to the aging fleet of Canadian navy frigates and coast guard ships, the country’s capacity is limited. The Halifax-class patrol frigates, the backbone of the Royal Canadian Navy, are between 30 and 40 years old.

Members of the House of Commons defence committee emphasized the necessity for increased surveillance in the Arctic due to China’s expanding presence in the region. The federal government is investing in new destroyers, Arctic-capable submarines, and an undersea sensor network to safeguard national sovereignty.

With escalating tensions in the Arctic, Canada aims to bolster its presence in the region to protect its maritime claims and valuable resources. The government sees the Arctic as a strategic area requiring enhanced defense capabilities to counter potential threats from Russia and China.