Pan Arctic Forum

From: ChinaDialog/Ocean

Episode two of China’s Polar Frontiers by Sustainable Asia looks at how climate change is opening up new opportunities in the frozen north

Marcy Trent Long, Sam Colombie

As rising global temperatures melt the polar sea ice, new routes and opportunities are opening up in the Arctic. China is keen to position itself as a stakeholder, recently declaring itself a “near-Arctic” state and last year publishing an official Arctic policy. But unlike Antarctica, the North Pole is ringed by sovereign lands and their territorial waters, all jostling for control over the frozen international waters. While China’s arrival has raised concerns, the investment it’s bringing is not unwelcome. So how is China going about establishing itself in the Arctic, and what are its ultimate goals?

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