Chinese Coast Guard Ship Patrols Arctic Ocean for First Time

The exercise marks the first time a Chinese coast guard ship has patrolled the Arctic Ocean.

SCMP SCREENSHOT

CCTV on October 2 released images and video footage marking the first patrol by a Chinese coast guard ship in the Arctic Ocean, during a joint exercise with Russia.

The ships entered the Arctic Ocean on October 1. CCTV said this was the first joint exercise between the two countries' coast guards and that the four ships had moved to the Arctic Ocean from the north Pacific.

Previously, CCTV said the joint maritime patrols would help the two countries improve their ability to coordinate law enforcement at sea and expand the scope of operations of the Chinese Coast Guard.

The Chinese coast guard said the operation had "significantly expanded the scope of offshore operations, thoroughly tested the ship's ability to perform tasks in unfamiliar waters, and strongly supported active participation in international and regional maritime governance."

The latest patrols have been closely watched by the US as Moscow and Beijing expand cooperation in the Arctic, according to the South China Morning Post .

The US Coast Guard said it spotted two Russian and two Chinese ships moving northeast through the Bering Sea, which separates Russia from Alaska, on September 28, about 5 miles (8 km) from Russia's exclusive economic zone.

It was the farthest north the US has seen a Chinese coast guard vessel. “This recent activity demonstrates the growing interest of our strategic competitors in the Arctic region,” said Rear Adm. Megan Dean of the US Coast Guard.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/tau-hai-canh-trung-quoc-lan-dau-tuan-tra-bac-bang-duong-185241002210511096.htm