Beijing deploys submarines to Arctic in 'aggressive' military move sparking US fears

China has operated submarines in Arctic waters (Image: Getty)

Chinese submarines travelled underneath Arctic ice this summer, sparking warnings of national security threats by American officials.

Growing numbers of Chinese military and research vessels have been operating in Arctic waters near Alaska throughout the year, with security bosses in the USA reporting concerns in November.

Increased movements of Chinese naval assets in the region, known as the High North, are being reported as a "growing threat" by American media outlets.

America's top military official at the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, U.S. Air Force Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, said: "The Chinese are being more and more aggressive."

He confirmed to the Wall Street Journal that the research vessels seen undertaking such missions are often used to provide cover for military purposes.

China has recently declared itself a "near-Arctic power", which Beijing reportedly hopes will escalate its influence to the equivalent of the US or Russia. Its foreign ministry confirmed it believes the activities being undertaken in the Arctic to be reasonable, saying they are "contributing to the maintenance and promotion of peace, stability, and sustainable development in the region".

Beijing sees potential in opening new sea routes through the region as part of its wider plans to open a "Polar Silk Road". This summer, China dispatched a cargo ship to Poland, skirting the North Pole, in a journey that was twice as fast as alternative travel routes which make use of the Suez Canal.

Chinese officials have reportedly suggested they plan to increase trans-Arctic cargo trade with the Russians, with a focus on importing natural gas.

The Arctic has long been a contentious region between world powers. During the Cold War it was seen as a front line, dividing NATO and the USSR. Patrols in the region came to an end in the 1990s, however the area is once again being policed.

Over the past half a century the area has been something of a staging ground for competing world powers, thanks to the region's proximity to various other countries. In 1959, the United States employed a nuclear submarine to the area as a warning to the Communists. Moscow sent one in 1962.

In recent years, submarines from both nations have been deployed on Arctic exercises, the WSJ reports.

The changes in Chinese movements in the region have sparked fears in the White House, with the USA and allies reportedly training more troops on how to respond to dangers in the Arctic.

New patrols to hunt submarines have been reported off Iceland, and President Trump recently designed a new deal with Finland to expand the US icebreaker fleet.

Last year, China and Russia flew military planes near Alaska for the first time ever, with Chinese planes flying from a Russian air base. Russia has even sailed coast guard vessels near the Alaskan border.

Rob Bauer, a retired Dutch admiral who was one of NATO's top officials this year, said the ships were "basically warships, but they're painted white".

Hunter Stires, a naval strategist, told the WSJ: "China doesn't field the world's largest fleet of oceanographic survey ships because they want to save the whales. China aims to take the lead in marine and climate science because understanding the ocean and the climate is a critical enabler to success in naval operations, particularly in anti-submarine warfare."