On January 26 2018, China for the first time released a white paper as it is one of the “near Arctic” nation and hence considers itself a key stakeholder in the matters of the climate changes such as global warming which also affect China as a nation.
Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Kong Xuanyou, briefing the media on the White Paper yesterday, cleared air over the concerns surrounding China’s intentions as he claimed that the Arctic climate also affects matters such as agriculture and fishing in China.
The White paper mentions that China is a permanent member of the UN Security Council and hence, peace and harmony is a prime responsibility according to East Asian media network Straitstimes.
Before this release, China’s Arctic interests were heavily focused on environmental issues i.e. the impacts of melting polar ice on China’s continental and oceanic environment, and its impact for the country’s agricultural development. It has been a long time since China has been involved in Arctic affairs. In 1925, China joined the Spitsbergen Treaty and started active participation in addressing the Arctic affairs. Accordingly, Chinese policymakers had been emphasizing on the importance of conducting scientific work in the region, and the country had made considerable investments in polar research since the 1990s.
China has undertaken four research expeditions, has an Arctic research station in Norway’s Svalbard archipelago, and has a number of elite academic institutes dedicated to Arctic research. It also owns the world’s largest icebreaker vessel, Xuelong (Snow Dragon), which has been central to China’s research activities for developing the Arctic policy.
The white paper shows China’s intention of building a “Polar Silk Road” which would involve shipping roads in the region and has pledged corporate governance for the same. This is a part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative or BRI and would facilitate connectivity and sustainable economic and social development of the Arctic. China has earlier invited Latin American and Caribbean nations to be a part of BRI.