Defense officials confirmed that ships with the Chinese Navy came within 12 nautical miles of the Alaskan coast for the first time recently and added they did so in compliance with international law.
The Chinese amphibious warfare ship LPD 989 Chang Baishan pictured in the Netherlands in January. More recently, officials confirmed that Chinese warships had made "innocent passage" within 12 nautical miles off the coast of Alaska. (Marten van Dijl/AFP/Getty Images)
The Wall Street Journal first noted that five Chinese ships had come into U.S. territorial waters in the Bering Sea Wednesday and that U.S. officials were tracking their activity. The ships, according to WSJ included "three combat ships, a replenishment vessel and an amphibious landing ship."
Late Thursday, WSJ received word from Pentagon officials, who were not named, and Chinese defense officials confirming the ships, which were not considered threatening because they were in the waters under the principle of "innocent passage."
The United States Naval Institute News received similar confirmation:
“The five PLAN ships transited expeditiously and continuously through the Aleutian Island chain in a manner consistent with international law,” according to a Thursday statement provided to USNI News by U.S. Northern Command.
According to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, "innocent passage" is considered such "so long as it is not prejudicial to the peace, good order or security of the coastal State."
Here's what the Wall Street Journal learned of the activity from Chinese officials:
In a brief statement, [China's Defense Ministry] said some Chinese navy ships had sailed to the Bering Sea and Western Pacific after taking part in joint exercises with Russia called “Joint Sea 2015 (II).”“This is a routine arrangement in the annual plan, it is not aimed at any particular country and target,” the statement said.
Director of the China Maritime Studies Institute Peter Dutton told the Wall Street Journal he sees this activity by the Chinese as a good sign.
“As a matter of fairness and equity, these operations are a big step forward for U.S. interests in that Beijing now has no basis to object to similar passage through China’s territorial sea by the U.S., for instance in vicinity of China’s islands in the South China Sea,” he told the newspaper.
Dutton added this move is also China navy's way of announcing "its arrival as a global force."
James Kraska, a professor at the Stockton Center for the Study of International Law at the Naval War College, speculated to USNI News that the Chinese might have thought these actions would be seen as provocative by U.S., but "they’ll be surprised that the U.S. treats them professionally."
This week China is also hosting a lavish parade commemorating the defeat of Japan in World War II, in which it is showcasing its latest armaments. Defense experts and foreign armies will be watching closely for any revelations about new military capabilities.
The People's Liberation Army is expected to reveal breakthroughs in missile technology and military aircraft that reflect its increasing focus on projecting force beyond its borders, especially adjacent seas where it competes with neighbors for territory and resources.
On Thursday, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced that he would be cutting the 2.3 million-member People's Liberation Army by 300,000 troops, amid rising manpower costs and technological capabilities that reduce the need for large numbers of personnel.
Xi gave no specific reason for the reduction, but bracketed his announcement with assertions of the PLA's mission to protect China and "uphold the sacred task of ensuring world peace."
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.
