Five Chinese Navy ships are operating in the Bering Sea off the coast of Alaska, a defense official said Wednesday.
The presence of the ships, first reported by the Wall Street Journal, is the first time Pentagon officials have seen this type of activity in the region.
The five-ship surface action group from the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy is in international waters and doing nothing illegal, the official said.
“We respect the right of all nations to operate in international waters,” the official said.
President Obama is wrapping up a three-day trip to Alaska to promote his climate change agenda. It’s unclear if the Chinese ships’ presence is deliberately intended to coincide with Obama’s visit, the official said.
