Chinese and Russian warplanes, two from each side, were tracked flying over international waters near Alaska and US and Canadian fighter jets were dispatched in response, the Washington-Ottawa Joint Aerospace Command reported, the Associated Press reported, BTA reported.
Activity by the Chinese and Russian militaries on Wednesday is not considered a threat, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) said.
"NORAD will continue to monitor adversary activity near North America and meet presence with presence,” the command said in a statement.
While Russia's military has long been active in the North Pacific, China has emerged as a new entrant in recent years as it expands the presence of its growing navy and air force further from the country's shores.
Chinese warships have appeared in international waters near Alaska, most recently in mid-July when the Coast Guard spotted four vessels in the US exclusive economic zone, which stretches 200 nautical miles off the coast.
In the latest incident, the Chinese and Russian planes were flying in the North American Air Defense Identification Zone of the US – an area outside the airspace of the United States and Canada, in which those countries require aircraft to be identified for national security reasons, notes the AP.
On July 25, China and Russia organized joint strategic air patrols over the Bering Sea in accordance with the annual military cooperation plan, a spokesman for the Chinese Ministry of Defense said, Reuters reported.
This deepens strategic mutual trust and coordination between the two militaries and is not directed against third countries, Chen Xiaogang said, adding that it “has nothing to do with the current international situation”.