Both Canada and the United States have been discreetly monitoring the movements of two Chinese icebreaking research vessels in the Arctic waters near Alaska for the past few weeks. The Xue Long (Snow Dragon) and Xue Long (Snow Dragon) 2 navigated northward through the U.S. exclusive economic zone in the Bering Sea in July, as reported by the U.S. Coast Guard.
The recurring presence of Chinese research ships in the Arctic Ocean during summers in recent years has raised concerns among security and defense authorities. Data compiled by Steffan Watkins, an independent research consultant and ship tracker, indicates that a Royal Canadian Air Force CP-140 surveillance aircraft has been in operation in Alaska since early July.
The Department of National Defence confirmed on Friday that the aircraft has been monitoring the activities of the two Chinese vessels in collaboration with the American counterparts. Defense spokesperson Cheryl Forrest stated that the Canadian Joint Operations Command is actively observing maritime traffic in the Arctic, including the Xue Long and Xue Long 2 vessels, which are currently operating beyond Canada’s exclusive economic zone.
In the previous year, the Canadian military initiated a concentrated effort to enhance monitoring of northern waters and coordinate with Pacific allies in areas like the Bering Sea off Alaska through Operation Latitude. The Royal Canadian Navy has deployed assets such as the frigate HMCS Ottawa and the Arctic offshore vessels HMCS Max Bernays and HMCS Robert Hampton Gray, along with the air force’s surveillance aircraft. Canadian Special Operations Forces Command personnel and the icebreaker CCGS Des Groseilliers are also participating in these monitoring efforts.
When questioned about the Chinese ships, Defense Minister David McGuinty emphasized that the Canadian military actively surveils the country’s waters. China, having claimed itself as a near-Arctic state, maintains that its icebreakers are solely engaged in peaceful scientific research, environmental monitoring, and global climate change studies. However, these research vessels have been known to deploy sophisticated sonar and telemetry buoys, which can track environmental changes and submarine activities.
Western defense officials highlight the versatile capabilities of these research ships and their buoys. Richard Shimooka, a defense researcher at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute in Ottawa, expressed interest in how the Chinese vessels might be mapping the regional subsea network in the Bering Sea. He noted Canada’s increasing role in the western Pacific amid the U.S. Navy’s engagements in the Iran conflict but cautioned that due to the aging fleet, Canada’s current capabilities are limited.
Members of the House of Commons defense committee, including Conservative defense critic James Bezan, emphasized the need for heightened surveillance in the Arctic region. Bezan highlighted China’s growing interest in the Arctic and its collaboration with Russia in air activities. The federal government has initiated substantial investments in constructing new destroyers, acquiring Arctic-capable submarines, and deploying an undersea sensor network to bolster defense capabilities in the region.
Bezan stressed the urgency to protect Canada’s sovereignty in the Arctic, particularly against challenges from Russia and China, who do not acknowledge the country’s maritime claims in the Far North. The significance of safeguarding Arctic resources and energy reserves, including those in the Beaufort Sea, was underscored as a critical national priority.