The Pentagon is monitoring Chinese navy ships off the coast of Alaska

While President Obama wraps up his three-day tour of the Arctic, the Pentagon is currently observing five Chinese military vessels off the coast of Alaska, The Wall Street Journal reports.

The five ships are currently operating at an unspecified distance from the Alaskan coast in the Bering Sea.

The vessels include three combat ships, a replenishment ship, and an amphibious ship, WSJ notes citing Pentagon officials.

The presence of these ships marks the first known time that the Chinese navy has operated off the coast of Alaska.

However, Pentagon officials told the WSJ that the ships are not currently conducting any threatening maneuvers.

"This would be a first in the vicinity of the Aleutian Islands," an unnamed defense official told the WSJ about the Chinese vessels. "I don't think we'd characterize anything they're doing as threatening."

The presence of the ships so far from the Chinese coast reflects Beijing's goal of having a military that can operate abroad and project Chinese power. China has been quickly upgrading its arsenal with a slew of new equipment including nuclear powered submarines, ballistic missiles, and next-generation fighter jets.

Chief among China's military modernization goals, and its desire to become east Asia's dominant power, is the acquisition of a "blue-water navy." This would be a force that is capable of operating for extended periods in the open ocean, away from the coasts or support bases.

Such a naval force would serve the dual purposes of allowing China to protect its vital trade routes while also allowing it to project force far beyond its coastline.

The presence of Chinese military vessels in the Bering Sea, far away from the Chinese coast, demonstrates the strides that China has made in working towards its blue-water navy goals.

China, although it is not an Arctic state, has invested significant political capital in improving relations with various Arctic states, including Denmark and Norway.

Beijing has also started constructing a fleet of icebreakers with the goal of maximizing future trade through a Northern Sea Route as the Arctic ice melts.

This route would cut travel time between Shanghai and Europe by as much as 22%, when compared to the current Suez Canal route.

If the Northern Sea Route does become increasingly viable as the Arctic ice melts, the US will likely see an increasing number of Chinese ships off of its Alaskan coast.