Trump’s Vigilance: US Monitoring Chinese Icebreakers in Arctic

China appears to be focusing more on the Arctic, intriguingly enough, this hasn’t gone unnoticed by the United States. The U.S. has been meticulously observing five Chinese icebreaker and research vessels for some time now, particularly as they’ve navigated their way through the Bering Strait in recent weeks. Lead by the Xue Long 2, a state-of-the-art polar research icebreaker manufactured within China’s borders, the fleet is turning heads internationally. This vessel boasts an intelligent hull and engine room design, positioning it among the world’s latest generation of such icebreakers.

In the span of five years, the Xue Long 2 has participated in almost 10 comprehensive scientific expeditions covering both the Arctic and Antarctic regions. Its current journey through the Arctic is carried out in the company of Shenhai Yihao, a vessel equipped with a deep-sea submersible, Jidi. It’s worth mentioning that Jidi experienced its maiden voyage to the Arctic just last year.

Adding to the strength and diversity of the fleet are two additional icebreakers. The Tansuo Sanhao, China’s latest entry into their fleet of icebreakers, and Zhongshan Daxue Jidi, an icebreaker that has served the nation longest. The swift and efficient passage of these Chinese vessels through the Bering Strait, from August 5 to 7, was documented by live tracker Maritime Optima.

Their activities in the Arctic Ocean soon garnered attention from the U.S. Coastguard. The coastguard made note that the vessels approached as near as 290 nautical miles from the Alaskan coast. Interestingly enough, this is located on the very fringes of the contested ‘extended continental shelf’ that the United States claims.

According to the U.S. coastguard’s official website, their attention was drawn to the research vessels—the Jidi and the Zhongshan Daxue Jidi—found in the northeastern Bering Sea as early as August 5. In response, the U.S. mobilized a C-130J Hercules fixed-wing aircraft to monitor the activity.

The following day, a similar approach was upheld as the Zhongshan Daxue Jidi journeyed northwards across the Chukchi Sea beyond the Arctic Circle after traversing the Bering Strait. The coastguard closely watched these events unfold, maintaining a constant long-distance escort and surveillance. It’s noteworthy, however, that the U.S. took no substantive action at this stage other than monitoring the five Chinese vessels near the Arctic.

As per the U.S. coastguard’s records, it detected the Xue Long 2 on July 26, positioned some 290 nautical miles north of Utqiagvik, Alaska. Once again, a C-130J Hercules fixed-wing aircraft was deployed to observe the research vessel’s activities.

In today’s world, the Arctic has turned into a central hub for global strategic competition. Indeed, it has been noticed in Washington that China and Russia have been progressively fortifying their collaborative efforts in this region. To provide a concrete example, China and Russia had launched a joint laboratory concentrating on polar technology and equipment at Harbin Engineering University in northeastern China back in 2019.

China, viewing itself as a near-Arctic nation and crucial participant in the scene, collaborated with Russia to have their coastguards conduct their initial joint Arctic patrol last year. It’s impressive that Russia claims the largest fleet of polar vessels globally, encompassing a total of 55 ships. Moreover, they are the sole country with the capacity to construct nuclear-powered icebreakers.

Beyond the sphere of science, both nations are also probing the commercial viability of exploiting the Arctic for new shipping routes. It’s fascinating to consider that these would be the most efficient course linking the Asia-Pacific region and Western Eurasia. China’s interest in this venture once again demonstrates its ambition to be a global player in diverse areas.

Updating its strategic framework for the Arctic in July last year, the U.S. Defense Department expressed the view that the blossoming partnership between China and Russia in the Arctic could have significant implications on U.S. security and that of its allies. President Trump, clearly aware of the stakes involved in this region, has demonstrated a potent interest in the Arctic with a view to bolstering the commercial and strategic benefits for his country.

Emphasizing this is the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, enacted by President Trump on July 4. Thanks to this landmark decision, nearly $9 billion was allocated for icebreakers, further establishing the strategic importance of the Arctic domain to the U.S. and its dedicated leadership.

Responding to the U.S. Coastguard’s actions, the South China Sea Strategic Situation Probing Initiative (SCSPI)—a think tank based in Beijing—held that the Chinese fleet’s transit through international waters was entirely within its rights. The article argued in favor of the Chinese fleet’s navigation, maintaining it was in absolute conformity with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Interestingly enough, while the Chinese fleet’s transit was deemed to be in line with UNCLOS, the U.S. has abstained from joining as a signatory. According to the think tank, the exclusive economic zone as outlined in UNCLOS does not stretch beyond 200 nautical miles from the established baseline used to measure the breadth of territorial waters.

According to the SCSPI, when the Chinese vessel was located, it was approximately 290 nautical miles from Utqiagvik, Alaska, placing it indisputably in international waters and not within the U.S. exclusive economic zone. The think tank further argued that U.S. Coastguard’s tracking and surveillance of the Xue Long 2 could be interpreted as illicit interference with its right to the freedom of the seas.

In the eyes of the SCSPI, the Xue Long 2 was simply enjoying its freedoms under international law while it noticed the ‘response’ from the U.S. coastguard aircraft. Not only was the vessel unarmed, but it also represented no ‘potential threat’ to the security of any coastal state. Interestingly, the U.S.’s actions seemed to have more to do with trying to prevent any perceived transgression of its outer continental shelf rights.