The statement came a day after the US Coast Guard said it spotted four vessels from the Russian Border Guard and Chinese Coast Guard in the Bering Sea – the “northernmost” location it said it had ever observed the Chinese ships. A banner visible on one of the vessels in accompanying photos read “China Coast Guard devoting its heart to the Party; demonstrating loyalty in the Arctic Ocean,” referring to China’s ruling Communist Party. The US Coast Guard (USCG) on Monday said it spotted the four vessels from the Russian Border Guard and Chinese Coast Guard “transiting in formation in a northeast direction” in the Bering Sea, some five miles inside Russia’s Exclusive Economic Zone on Saturday. A China Coast Guard member pictured during recent joint drills with Russia. The coast guard collaboration “relates to Chinese interests in maritime transportation along at least parts of the Northern Sea Route,” according to Østhagen.

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Persons: Russia –, China’s, ”, Megan Dean, irked, Carl Schuster, it’s, –, Sophie Arts, ” Andreas Østhagen Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, China’s Coast Guard, US Coast Guard, Russian Border Guard, Chinese Coast Guard, China Coast Guard, Communist Party, CCTV, TASS, 17th Coast Guard District, USCG, Canadian, Russia’s Federal Security Service, East China, Coast Guard, Guard, US Navy, Pacific Command’s Joint Intelligence Center, China, US Department of Defense, German Marshall Fund, Fridtjof Nansen Institute, CNN, Armed Police, Central Military Commission, Centre for High North Logistics, Norway’s Nord University Locations: Hong Kong, Russia, Beijing, ”, Bering, Alaska, Asia, North America, China, Washington, South, East, irked Beijing, Ukraine, Russian, Norway, South China, Philippines, Europe