U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) stated that the presence of two Chinese and two Russian nuclear-capable bombers near Alaska underscores the necessity for the U.S. to bolster its military forces in Alaska, the Arctic, and the Indo-Pacific region. Sullivan shared his statement in a July 24 press release.
"Make no mistake, this is an escalation—the first time Russia and China have sent a joint bomber task-force into the Alaska ADIZ," said Sullivan. "Fortunately, our brave military members working closely with our Canadian allies were ready, conducting joint operations to intercept these bombers. As I have been warning our Pentagon leaders for years, these kinds of joint Russia and China incursions on the sea and in the air near Alaska will continue. For that reason, the United States needs to continue to build up our military forces and the infrastructure that goes with it in Alaska to protect our nation's vital interests in the Arctic and the INDOPACOM theater."
According to CNN, North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) intercepted two Russian and two Chinese bombers flying near Alaska. This incident marks the first time both Russia and China have been intercepted while operating together. The bombers remained within international airspace and did not enter U.S. or Canadian territory. China’s defense ministry described the event as a "joint strategic aerial patrol in the relevant airspace of the Bering Sea," part of an existing annual cooperation agreement between the two militaries.
The United States Institute of Peace notes that Russia-China ties have been strengthening based on a shared anti-U.S. posture. Russian President Vladimir Putin visited Chinese leader Xi Jinping in May for the second time in approximately six months. Putin and Xi have met over 40 times, developing a close personal bond as their countries’ strategic partnership has deepened. In their May meeting, they issued a joint statement affirming their commitment to the "one-China principle," opposing Taiwan’s independence and supporting "the actions of the Chinese side to protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity."
Reuters reports that China and Russia announced a "no limits partnership" in February 2022, just days before Putin sent troops into Ukraine. Graham Allison, a professor at Harvard University and former assistant secretary of defense under Bill Clinton, said, "Over the past decade, Xi has built with Putin's Russia the most consequential undeclared alliance in the world." Allison added that Putin and Xi share a similar worldview, which sees the West as "decadent and in decline."
RAND Corporation indicates that China has shown growing interest and activities in the Arctic due to resource abundance and strategic location. Researchers at RAND and the Swedish Defense Research Agency examined China's operations in the Arctic, concluding that they have made only limited progress in the region. China claims it is a "near-Arctic state," aiming to push for more Arctic governance—a move seen as a security threat by RAND.
Sullivan has served as a U.S. Senator for Alaska since 2015, according to his website. He currently serves on four Senate Committees: Commerce, Science and Transportation; Armed Services; Environment and Public Works; and Veterans' Affairs Committee. He is also Chairman of the International Republican Institute. Sullivan previously served as Alaska’s Attorney General and Commissioner of the Alaska Department of Natural Resources.
