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08-08-2023
WASHINGTON: Several vessels from the Chinese and Russian navies initiated a patrol off the coast of Alaska, triggering a prompt response from the US military as it sent its planes and ships to observe the situation, with Beijing and Moscow trying to exert their power on the other areas around the globe.
The patrol from both countries was reported by the Wall Street Journal, but it did not pose any threat to the US or Canada, according to a US Northern Command spokesperson.
The spokesperson told media that NORTHCOM and the North American Aerospace Defense Command deployed planes and ships to monitor the Russian and Chinese patrol, which stayed in international waters.
Republican Senators from Alaska Dan Sullivan and Lisa Murkowski said in a statement that a total of 11 Russian and Chinese vessels had been operating near the Aleutian Islands, and were met in response by four US Navy destroyers.
Murkowski said: “She and Sullivan had been in close contact with leadership from Alaska Command for several days now and received detailed classified briefings about the foreign vessels that are transiting US waters in the Aleutians.”
In a statement, Chinese Embassy spokesperson Liu Pengyu told media that “according to the annual cooperation plan between the Chinese and Russian militaries, naval vessels of the two countries have recently conducted joint maritime patrols in relevant waters in the western and northern Pacific Ocean.”
“This action is not targeted at any third party and has nothing to do with the current international and regional situation.”
Sullivan said: “Chinese and Russian vessels came similarly close to Alaska last summer and were encountered by a US Coast Guard ship on a routine patrol at the time, a ‘tepid’ response.”
“For that reason, I was heartened to see that this latest incursion was met with four US Navy destroyers, which sends a strong message to (Chinese President) Xi Jinping and [Russian President Vladimir] Putin that the US will not hesitate to protect and defend our vital national interests in Alaska,” Sullivan said.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the patrol was highly provocative citing tensions in Ukraine and Taiwan.
Defence cooperation between Russia and China has increased considerably since the Russia-Ukraine war that started in February 2022. Both countries in their high-profile meetings vowed to strengthen further. (Int’l Monitoring Desk)
