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The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) recently detected multiple People’s Republic of China (PRC) military ships transiting the Bering Sea, according to a press release issued by the USCG. The encounters occurred over the weekend, involving the crew of USCG Cutter Kimball (WMSL 756) and an HC-130J aircrew from USCG Air Station Kodiak.
On Saturday and Sunday, the Kimball crew identified three Chinese vessels approximately 124 miles north of the Amchitka Pass in the Aleutian Islands, while the HC-130J aircrew detected an additional vessel around 84 miles north of the Amukta Pass. All four PRC vessels were in international waters but still within the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), which extends 200 nautical miles from the U.S. shoreline.
Rear Admiral Megan Dean, Seventeenth Coast Guard District commander, stated, "The Chinese naval presence operated in accordance with international rules and norms. we met presence with presence to ensure there were no disruptions to U.S. interests in the maritime environment around Alaska.”
The PRC vessels responded to U.S. Coast Guard radio communication, stating their purpose was “freedom of navigation operations.” USCG cutter Kimball monitored the ships until they transited south of the Aleutian Islands into the North Pacific Ocean. The vessel continues to patrol the U.S. EEZ to ensure the safety of U.S. vessels and international commerce in the area.
In collaboration with U.S. Northern Command, the Coast Guard was fully aware of and tracked the Chinese naval presence, the USCG statement noted. Similar encounters occurred in September 2021 and 2022 when Coast Guard cutters in the Bering Sea also encountered Chinese surface action groups.
Cutter Kimball’s patrol was part of Operation Frontier Sentinel, a Coast Guard initiative designed to meet presence with presence when strategic competitors operate near U.S. waters. This operation reinforces the international rules-based order and promotes adherence to international norms.
The U.S. Coast Guard cutter Kimball, a 418-foot Legend-class national security cutter, is homeported in Honolulu, Hawaii. The vessel plays a crucial role in maintaining maritime security and ensuring the safe passage of vessels in the region.
