The White House has sought to downplay a Defense Department report that five Chinese warships were operating in the Bering Strait, off the coast of the US state of Alaska.

Reuters quoted Pentagon officials as saying on September 2 that the agency was monitoring three Chinese warships, a supply ship and an amphibious vessel entering international waters in the Bering Sea, off the coast of Alaska.

US Defense Department spokesman Jeff Davis said this was the first time the US had seen Chinese ships in the area. The event took place in the context of US President Obama's visit to Alaska.

“We respect the freedom of navigation for military vessels of all nations in international waters, consistent with international law,” Davis said. The presence of Chinese ships in the Bering Sea is the latest example of the Chinese navy reaching into new areas.

According to the Pentagon, none of the Chinese ships acted unprofessionally and the US has been aware of their presence for several days.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest said no Chinese vessels were detected taking threatening action and the Pentagon had tracked the vessels but "at this time it is unclear what the intentions of these vessels are."

US officials declined to say how close the Chinese ships were to the US coast but stressed they were still in international waters.

“This is the first time Chinese warships have appeared in the vicinity of the Aleutian Islands,” a defense official told the Wall Street Journal.

Pentagon officials say there are many ways to interpret the Chinese naval presence in the region. “It’s hard to say exactly what it means, but it does show that China is interested in the Arctic region.”

China's Ministry of Defense did not comment on the ships.

According to VNN