What Is Behind the China-Russia Military Aircraft Exercises Near Alaska?

A H-6K long-range bomber of the Chinese air force, upper left, is seen escorted by a Su-30 fighter of the Russian air force during a joint Russia-China air patrol in a still from video released on July 25, 2024. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)

News Analysis

The U.S. military recently revealed the first recorded instance of the Chinese military operating near the Alaskan maritime zone, during a joint air exercise with Russia, with the four aircraft intercepted by U.S. and Canadian fighter jets.

But while U.S. military officials said that the incident came as no surprise, military analysts say it was an attempt by China to  strengthen its strategic presence in the North Pacific and Arctic Circle and signals increasing impatience with American policies.

On July 24, NORAD confirmed the detection, tracking, and interception of two Russian TU-95 bombers and two Chinese H-6 military aircraft within the U.S. Air Defense Identification Zone over Alaska. Though the aircraft remained in international airspace—never breaching the sovereign airspace of the United States or Canada—NORAD emphasized its commitment to vigilantly monitor and respond to foreign military activities near North American shores.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, addressing the incident on July 25, reassured the public of the nation’s preparedness and that the appearance of the Russian and Chinese aircraft “was not a surprise.”

“We closely monitored these aircraft, tracked the aircraft, intercepted the aircraft, which demonstrates that forces are at the ready all the time and we have very good surveillance capabilities,” Austin said.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin participates in a news briefing at the Pentagon in Arlington, Va., on July 25, 2024. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)

The Russian Ministry of Defense provided further context, saying that the operation included a joint patrol over the Chukchi Sea, Bering Sea, and the northern Pacific Ocean and that no international airspace violations occurred. A Chinese Ministry of Defense spokesperson further asserted during a press conference that the exercise was not targeted at any third party nor influenced by current global or regional conflicts.

However, Su Tzu-Yun, a military analyst and director of Taiwan’s Institute for National Defense and Security Research, offered a contrasting perspective.

Su told The Epoch Times that the proximity of these exercises to Alaska—a critical region for U.S. missile defense—signals a deliberate act of intimidation by China and Russia. “The joint deployment of bombers not only serves as a stark reminder of China and Russia’s potential reach but also raises concerns about their intentions,” he said.

Su noted the broader pattern of military alliances between China and various countries, highlighting recent exercises with Belarus in Europe, Laos in the Indian Ocean, and naval drills with Russia in the Pacific.

“When connecting these activities, a clear strategy emerges. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) aims to challenge the U.S.’s dominance along the first island chain defense line, from Japan and Taiwan to the South China Sea,” he explained.

The escalating frequency and intensity of joint military exercises between the CCP and countries like Russia have heightened global tensions and elicited serious concerns from Western democracies, particularly the United States.

Su said that the alliance between the CCP and Russia creates a formidable global security axis, which also includes North Korea, Iran, and vassal states like Belarus, representing a major security concern for the world.

“These alliances underscore the CCP’s strategic challenge to maritime democracies with a continental power base,” Su said.

‘Gray Zone Tactics’

Liu Hsiao-Hsiang, an associate researcher at Taiwan’s Institute for National Defense and Security Research, told The Epoch Times that the CCP’s military activities near Alaska utilize “gray zone tactics” designed to intensify the regional military presence and signal the CCP’s growing impatience with American policies.

Liu said that while the CCP’s prior joint aerial and maritime patrols in the East China Sea, Yellow Sea, and the Sea of Japan ostensibly target Japan, their ultimate concern lies with the United States. “These maneuvers are not just regional posturing but are indicative of a broader strategy to recalibrate the balance of power in the Asia-Pacific region,” he stated.

Chinese J-15 fighter jets launch from the deck of the 'Liaoning' aircraft carrier during military drills in the Yellow Sea, off China's east coast, on Dec. 23, 2016. (STR/AFP via Getty Images)

He also pointed out the strategic significance of the first joint flight by Chinese and Russian military aircraft near Alaska.

“For Russia, the airspace over Alaska and the Bering Sea holds critical military and economic interests, primarily due to its proximity to vital northern shipping routes,” Liu added. “The CCP is willing to bet on its Indo-Pacific strategy, moving away from maintaining the ambiguous stance it had in the past.”

Arctic Region Power Games

As Chinese and Russian military aircraft navigate through the Chukchi Sea, Bering Sea, and off Alaska’s coast, their flight paths now intersect the Arctic Circle, north of the 66 degrees 34 minutes latitude mark, a region increasingly seen as strategically crucial due to the accelerated melting of Arctic ice.

Despite its geographical distance from the Arctic, China has asserted itself as an “important stakeholder in Arctic affairs,” highlighted by the release of its 2018 “China’s Arctic Policy” white paper. In this document, China pledges to engage in Arctic affairs deeply.

Just two days prior to the joint China-Russia patrol within the Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone the U.S. Department of Defense unveiled its “2024 Arctic Strategy,” the department’s first policy update for the region since 2019.

Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks emphasized the Arctic’s critical role in national defense and sovereignty, aligning with U.S. treaty obligations. The strategy is designed to preserve the Arctic as a “secure and stable region.”

Acknowledging the challenges posed by China’s ambitions and Russia’s assertiveness in the Arctic—despite Russia’s setbacks in Ukraine—the U.S. strategy focuses on bolstering defense capabilities, enhancing cooperation with allies, conducting regular training exercises, and reinforcing regional defense and deterrence mechanisms.

During the strategy’s launch, Hicks pointed out, “While not an Arctic state, [China] seeks greater influence in the region, greater access to the region and a greater say in its governance. That’s concerning given that it’s the only strategic competitor with the will and increasingly the wherewithal to remake the international order.”

She also noted the growing commercial and military collaborations between China and Russia in the Arctic, underscoring the necessity for the United States to adapt militarily to these evolving dynamics.

Xin Ning contributed to this report.