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Five Chinese navy ships seen in the Bering Sea off Alaskan coast

China has been quickly expanding operations globally and the move may be indicating some interest in the Arctic region.

By Elizabeth Shim
The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy escorts the Russian tanker Renda 250 miles south of Nome, Alaska in the Bering Sea on January 6, 2012. The Bering Sea region has drawn the interest of the Chinese navy as Beijing has been expanding its global maritime presence. UPI/Sara Francis/U.S. Coast Guard
The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy escorts the Russian tanker Renda 250 miles south of Nome, Alaska in the Bering Sea on January 6, 2012. The Bering Sea region has drawn the interest of the Chinese navy as Beijing has been expanding its global maritime presence. UPI/Sara Francis/U.S. Coast Guard | License Photo

WASHINGTON, Sept. 3 (UPI) -- Five Chinese navy ships have been identified in the Bering Sea off the coast of Alaska, but their presence near U.S. territory is not threatening, according to the Pentagon.

The three combat ships, replenishment vessel and amphibious landing ship were seen moving toward the Aleutian Islands, which are split between the U.S. and Russia, The Wall Street Journal reported.

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"This would be a first in the vicinity of the Aleutian Islands. I don't think we'd characterize anything they're doing as threatening," said one defense official.

China has been quickly expanding operations globally and the move may be indicating some interest in the Arctic region.

"We are aware of the five People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) ships in the Bering Sea. This is the first time we have observed PLAN ships in the Bering Sea," U.S. defense department spokesman Bill Urban told the BBC on Wednesday.

Asia's largest economy has shown increasing interest in taking advantage of a sea route to transport goods between Asia and the West via the Arctic. Melting polar ice has made the route more feasible, and could save several days than a route that passes through the Suez Canal.

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Beijing also has indicated interest in extracting energy resources in the Arctic region. In 2013, it joined Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the United States as a permanent observer to the Arctic Council.

Peter Dutton, director of the China Maritime Studies Institute, told the BBC, "it's not a surprise in a sense that the Chinese have been continually expanding their presence in Eurasia."

"They have conducted exercises with Russia in the Mediterranean and in the Sea of Japan... they have interest in the northern sea route so to see them off the coast of Alaska is the next evolutionary step along these lines," he said.

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