Exploring China’s arctic strategy: Opportunities and challenges

Abstract

China’s understanding of the Arctic covers two major dimensions. One is that the Arctic is an international sphere, and the other is that China should be regarded as a “near Arctic state.” Based on such understanding, China’s Arctic policy has been evolving along a variety of considerations, such as securing investment and resources, pursuing sea-lanes of communication and trade, and facilitating strategic reach and power projection. China seeks to increase its strengths by carrying forward its own national initiatives including scientific research, trade and investment, and power projection, as well as through participation in bilateral and multilateral cooperation and collaboration schemes. As China views the Arctic from the perspectives of both low and high politics, it is anticipated that China will be further engaged in Arctic affairs with a conceptually and materially sound Arctic strategy, under which a closer partnership with Arctic states, especially Russia, is a necessary step.