

Chinese Warships: The U.S. Coast Guard recently released a set of pictures of the Legend class cutter USCGC Bertholf shadowing a group of four Chinese warships sailing in America’s Exclusive Economic Zone near Alaska’s Aleutian Islands back in August. The emergence of these pictures follows the editor-in-chief of Global Times, a newspaper under the direct control of the Chinese Communist Party, taking to Twitter to criticize U.S. Navy operations in the Pacific that routinely challenge many of Beijing’s widely disputed maritime territorial claims, especially in the South China Sea and the Taiwan Strait, and warn of tit-for-tat activities on the part of the People’s Liberation Army Navy. Read more
I am curious why the photos of USCGC Bertholf (WMSL-750) escorting Nanchang 101 Task Group were suddenly deleted off DVIDS.
— Evergreen Intel (@vcdgf555) September 13, 2021
For the record, Bertholf pinged @MarineTraffic Sept. 10 in Yokosuka Harbor. Make of that what you will. pic.twitter.com/39F5KRwat3
JUST IN: US Coast Guard Cutter USCGC Bertholf (WMSL-750) closely monitors vessels from Chinese PLA Navy operating as part of a four-ship task force in international waters inside US Exclusive Economic Zone off Aleutian Island coast on Aug. 29.
— Ryan Chan 陳家翹 (@ryankakiuchan) September 13, 2021
? @DVIDSHub pic.twitter.com/k7GonU6wQz
This PLAN task force included a cruiser, a destroyer, a general intelligence vessel, and an auxiliary vessel. I believe they are Type 055 destroyer Nanchang, Type 052D destroyer Guiyang, replenishment ship 903, and electronic surveillance ship 799.https://t.co/57AusstZqx
— Ryan Chan 陳家翹 (@ryankakiuchan) September 13, 2021
The US Exclusive Economic Zone extends quite far out into the northern Pacific. Considering the Nanchang 101 Task Group sailed thru Tsushima Strait Aug. 22, then Soya Strait Aug. 24, the PLA Navy ships could have been escorted by US Coast Guard anywhere along this dark blue area. https://t.co/1E89jUsPth pic.twitter.com/zgSm8pK6aO
— Evergreen Intel (@vcdgf555) September 13, 2021