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On Wednesday, the United States and Canada scrambled fighter jets in response to the first incursion of a Chinese H-6 bomber into Alaska’s Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ), which also involved Russian TU-95 bombers.
The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) confirmed that while the foreign aircraft remained in international airspace and posed no direct threat, their presence was a provocative act.
“The Russian and PRC aircraft remained in international airspace and did not enter American or Canadian sovereign airspace,” NORAD stated.
“This Russian and PRC activity in the Alaska ADIZ is not seen as a threat, and NORAD will continue to monitor competitor activity near North America and meet presence with presence,” the statement read.
This joint patrol, described as a “strategic joint air patrol” by Chinese officials, marks ongoing military collaboration between China and Russia, particularly in the Arctic region.
“This is the eighth air strategic joint patrol organized by the two militaries since 2019. It further tested and improved coordination between two air forces and deepened strategic mutual trust and substantive cooperation,” Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Col. Zhang Xiaogang said.
“This operation did not target any third parties and was in line with relevant international law and practice and had nothing to do with the current international or regional situation,” he added.
The U.S. Department of Defense has expressed concern over the increasing coordination between the two nations, as both seek greater influence and access to Arctic resources.
“While significant areas of disagreement between the PRC and Russia remain, their growing alignment in the region is of concern,” a Department of Defense (DOD) report read.
