Chinese Warships Spotted In Bering Sea As President Obama Tours Alaska (Source Foxtrot Alpha)

Five Chinese navy ships are currently operating in the Bering Sea, off the coast of Alaska, the first time the U.S. military has seen such activity in the area, Pentagon officials said Wednesday. The officials said they have been aware in recent days that three Chinese combat ships, a replenishment vessel and an amphibious ship were in the vicinity after observing them moving toward the Aleutian Islands, which are split between U.S. and Russian control. The ships are still in international waters, and haven’t crossed any American maritime borders yet.

The Chinese government, of course, isn’t saying for the moment. But as this is the Internet, after all, we’re free to engage in slightly-informed speculation. We know that the Chinese Navy harbors blue-water ambitions that are requisite for truly global power projection. We know China has even gone so far as to purchase an old Soviet aircraft carrier (initially under the guise of turning it into a casino), just to bone up on naval flight operations. And we know that as the arctic ice melts thanks to global warming, the hunt for natural resources and the establishment of new trade routes is on. China has sent similar messages to America’s leaders highlighting their growing military capabilities and technological ambitions at symbolic (if not embarrassing) times. For instance, the time when China flew its first stealth fighter for the first time right as he was meeting with top Chinese officials in Beijing. And it probably also shows that China is not just capable of sending its ships to the furthest corners of the Earth, but that it is also interested in doing so. Sure, China doesn’t have any borders on the Arctic Ocean, but it surely wants whatever piece of that pie it can claim.