The strategy identifies China’s interests as access to natural resources, securing Arctic sea lines of communications (SLOCs), and promoting an image of a “responsible major country” in Arctic affairs, the Pentagon assessment says. In January 2018, Beijing published a white paper on the Arctic, which describes China as a “near-Arctic” state and “an important stakeholder in Arctic affairs.” Photo: Thomas Nilsen ‘A near-Arctic state’Ĭhina is also building a new icebreaker capable of operating in the Arctic, which is expected to enter service in 2019. Beijing created a polar research institute in 2009 and has organized several scientific expeditions in the Arctic.Ĭhina maintains research stations in Iceland and Norway and operates one Ukrainian-built icebreaking research vessel, the Xuelong (Snow Dragon), which in 2017 completed its eighth Arctic expedition and became the first Chinese official vessel to traverse Canada’s Northwest Passage, the report notes. The Pentagon’s assessment notes that China has increased activities and engagement in the Arctic region since gaining observer status on the Arctic Council in 2013.Ĭhina has shown a keen economic and scientific interest in the region.
military to beef up its own operations in the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions of the world. The one-page assessment of the potential Chinese threat in the Arctic is included in the Pentagon’s annual report to Congress on China’s armed forces and comes amid growing interest within the U.S.
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