The U.S. Coast Guard says it is closely tracking an uptick in Chinese research ship activity in the U.S. Arctic, with at least six vessels operating in the region since last year. Rear Admiral Megan Dean, commander of the Coast Guard’s 17th District in Alaska, told reporters that the ships were observed conducting operations in the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and near Alaska’s coast.

While such research is legal under international maritime law, Dean noted that “the data these vessels collect could have military as well as civilian applications,” adding that Coast Guard and Navy assets are deployed to monitor their movements.

Questions Over “Research” Missions

U.S. officials say Chinese vessels have followed patterns suggesting dual-use operations, such as mapping the seafloor in sensitive areas and tracking submarine transit routes. The Department of Defense has long warned that Beijing uses civilian and commercial assets to gather intelligence in strategically important regions.

The ships have operated in proximity to Alaska’s Aleutian Islands and the Bering Strait — key chokepoints for Arctic navigation and potential military deployment routes.

China’s Expanding Polar Presence

Beijing has declared itself a “near-Arctic state” and has steadily expanded its polar research programs, icebreaker fleet, and Arctic shipping capabilities. Melting sea ice is opening up new seasonal navigation routes and resource opportunities, and China has signaled interest in Arctic fisheries, seabed minerals, and energy reserves.

In recent years, Chinese icebreakers and research vessels have also been spotted in areas near Greenland, Canada, and Russia’s Northern Sea Route. Analysts say these activities form part of a broader strategy to secure Beijing’s role in shaping future Arctic governance and resource exploitation.

Strategic Competition in a Warming Arctic

The surge in Chinese ship presence comes amid heightened geopolitical competition in the Arctic, where the U.S., Russia, and NATO members are expanding military patrols and investments in infrastructure.

“The Arctic is no longer a distant frontier,” said Dean. “It’s a region where the strategic competition of the 21st century is playing out, and we have to be present and vigilant.”

The Coast Guard says it will continue joint operations with the U.S. Navy and allied forces to track foreign vessels and safeguard U.S. interests in the Arctic.