China’s Presence in the Arctic a Growing Concern

Beijing’s presence in the Arctic is no secret – but it is a cause for concern. China, which euphemistically calls itself a “near-Arctic country,” has for several years become an increasingly frequent presence in the Arctic. A recent intrusion by the PRC prompted close monitoring of the Chinese vessel. Rear Admiral Bob Little, Commander of the US Coast Guard’s Arctic District, told Reuters: “So far in 2026, four Chinese research vessels have conducted work offshore in the US Arctic, compared to a total of five in 2025.” 

Greenland: An Agreement Designed to Thwart China

The recent agreement between the US, Denmark, and Greenland allowing a significantly increased American military presence on the island shows just how strategically important both Greenland and the Arctic in general are. Particularly key is the provision that no non-NATO country, read China, will be allowed to establish its own “manned or unmanned military installations in Greenland.” You can include Russia in the exclusion statement. Russia is an Arctic nation with 30-40 facilities above the Arctic Circle, so its renovation and construction of military installations in the region is not unusual. However, China, which asserts the ridiculous claim that it is a “near Arctic state,” is more problematic.

Little, during an address at an Arctic security conference in Oslo, Norway, described what is of concern to him:

“Where I have responsibility, interest and concern is when they [China] are operating in and around US sovereign space. So inside of our exclusive economic zones, or over our extended continental shelf, we certainly have a security concern. And so those are the types of activities that we see that we’re watching very closely.” 

Two risks that worry officials are seabed surveillance and mapping on the US extended continental shelf and maritime operations that “provide them [the Chinese] with a military advantage or pose a security threat to the United States,” Little explained.

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Worrying Chinese excursions into the Arctic are not new. In August 2025, Fox News reported: “The Coast Guard warned of ‘increased Chinese research vessel activity’ in the US Arctic as it responded to multiple vessels in the region. The agency said it recently ‘detected and responded to two Chinese research vessels operating in the US Arctic and is currently monitoring a total of five similar vessels in or near the US Arctic.’” Furthermore, General Alexus Grynkewich, Supreme Allied Commander Europe, made his view clear in a speech at a conference in Sweden on January 11, according to Fox News. Grynkewich explained that China’s presence wasn’t for peaceful reasons. “They’re not studying the seals and the polar bears,” he said. “They’re out there doing bathymetric surveys and trying to figure out how they can counter NATO capabilities on and under the sea.” Just the News reported that in the summer of 2025 three Coast Guard cutters “intercepted and chased away five Chinese research vessels operating in the outer continental shelf in the Arctic North of Alaska.”

More Than Just Research Vessels

In addition to Chinese “research vessels,” the PRC is exploiting the Northern Sea Route to establish a trading presence. According to The New York Times: “The Chinese are now promoting the first regular cargo service to use the Northern Sea Route, an Arctic shortcut from Asia to Europe across the top of the world. This week, the Dubai Tower, a Chinese cargo ship, is finishing a three-week journey from Qingdao to Teesport in England.”  

The US faces challenges sailing in the Arctic. America has only three operational polar icebreakers and only one heavy icebreaker. By contrast, Russia has 50 polar icebreakers, and China operates five. Currently, the US has another three icebreakers and a few security cutters under construction, with 11 more on contract. So, progress is being made in increasing America’s capability to operate in both the Arctic and Antarctic regions – but that progress is unfortunately slow. The last US icebreaker will not be commissioned until 2035, if the current schedule holds. Meanwhile, China is growing its Arctic presence now. 

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The views expressed are those of the author and not of any other affiliate.