What particularly caused concern about the behavior of the Chinese vessels was, firstly, the fact that they came within 12 nautical miles of the United States coast.
Pentagon officials indeed confirmed that five Chinese navy ships had passed through United States territorial waters as they transited the Aleutian Islands. And this has unquestionably generated headlines in many quarters. But it is important to emphasize that the ships had also completely complied with international law.
Nonetheless, analysts are assessing this incident as a significant chapter in the ongoing diplomatic, economic and covert military battle between the United States and China. The Chinese authorities have long objected to the United States transiting vessels in its territorial waters, or indeed operating in international waters just outside the limits of China. In this context, this latest incident could be seen as very much a retaliatory effort from the Chinese.
Certainly there has been no effort to deny the incident on the behalf of the Chinese authorities. The Chinese defense ministry has confirmed that navy ships had sailed to the Bering Sea for training after joint exercises with Russia, but that the activity was completely routine and certainly not aimed at any particular nation.
"you will hear of wars and rumours of wars"...
