Five Chinese Navy Ships has passed through United States territorial waters, but have not done anything threatening so therefore have complied with International law, this according to Pentagon officials.

“This was a legal transit of U.S. territorial seas conducted in accordance with the Law of the Sea Convention,” said Commodore Bill Urban, a spokesman for the Pentagon.

The Defense Ministry of China have confirmed the activity of its naval vessels, and that it had sailed to the Bering Sea, but it clarified that such activity is routine and is not aimed at any country.

United States officials had said earlier that they were tracking five Chinese ships near U.S. territorial waters.

Apparently, the ships had traveled from Russia after naval exercises with that nation’s navy, then the flotilla entered the Bering sea , turned north of the Aleutian islands and navigated south to undertake ‘Innocent passage’ between two islands.

‘Innocent passage’ is a principle of international law that allows the passage of military vessels to travel through foreign territorial waters , provided that they don’t do anything threatening.

The Chinese did not inform the United States that they will conduct such a passage , but then under ‘Innocent Passage’ they are not required to do so. But this is in direct contrast to China’s policy which insists that U.S. military vessels should first ask permission before conducting their own foray into China’s territorial waters.

This activity comes amidst China’s display of military might last Thursday, during the parade at Beijing to commemorate the Japanese surrender during World War II. It also comes at a time when China is undergoing territorial maritime dispute with its neighboring countries.

U.S. officials believe that China is trying to build a Blue Water Navy, which will allow it to project global military power , as well as better assert its claim on disputed waters.