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ISSUE 16, FEBRUARY 2020

Ice and snow economy: China's

arctic strategy

*Hadeer hassan, feps political science teaching assistant

It aimed to create shipping lanes in the Arctic, especially as the
The Arctic region has become very important, thanks to the climate changes
that have made it a new international competition area between the various climate changes taking place in our planet lead to the removal of ice
barriers that were hindering this task earlier. The North Pole route will
major powers in what is known as the policy of "Arctic Rush". The melting of
the ice gives unprecedented attention to the climate change, but at the same only reduce the time from 48 to 20 days that cargo ships spend on the
journey between the cities of Shanghai and Rotterdam in the
time unleashed attention to the new road, which will be a new opening for
maritime transport and mining and energy sources for all countries of the Netherlands, which is the largest port with a high density of
world. commercial cargo ships in Europe. The southern road - which is
currently used - and the Strait of Malacca, which links the Pacific and

China is one of the most prominent countries competing for the Arctic, as Indian Oceans - can be closed and closed during wars due to its
extreme tightness, which is the real reason for the Chinese
Chinese interest in the Arctic began in mid-2012, through former President Hu
Jintao. That year, Wen Jiabao, the former prime minister, made a diplomatic government's orientation towards finding an alternative route.

visit to Iceland and Sweden, and after a few months, Hu Jintao followed up
with a visit to Denmark, and this was the first time that a Chinese president Finally, china announced a new polar strategy entitled (ice and Snow
and a prominent party member had met. The Chinese Communist with the Economy), a strategy that Beijing representatives proposed to their
Russian partners during the China-Russia negotiations at the East
heads of government of the aforementioned countries, despite the existence of
diplomatic relations that bring China to Denmark, more than sixty years old. Economic Forum in September 2019.
In fact, the "ice and snow economy" does not focus on specific
Since then, Beijing has aimed to consolidate its relations with the Arctic
countries, considering them as pivotal players for the development of Arctic industries, but rather involves the integrated development of regions
with a harsh climate and Arctic region. Therefore, Beijing's interest in
politics. Then it set out to describe itself as a "semi-polar north country", to
give legitimacy to its responsible role (that is, she has interests) in the Arctic, developing cooperation with Moscow in the Arctic is due to increased
This makes it a hub based on the idea of geographical proximity, although global competition for influence in the North.
China is away from the region by at least 1,600 km. As the idea of China's
geographical proximity was developed on this basis in exchange for other In a related context, some experts argued that by 2030, the Arctic
Ocean will be completely ice-free in the summer months, which will
countries not in the Arctic, located very far from China, but these countries
were nominated to play the role of "permanent observers" in the Arctic greatly facilitate the transportation of Russian LNG, knowing that
China is one of the largest importers of natural gas in the world,
Council, including Japan, for example.
which means that the partnership between Moscow and Beijing will
In this context, the most prominent impression is reflected in directing China's gain a new strategic dimension.
increased interest in the Arctic to ensure its exploitation of Arctic resources, Therefore, the concept of "ice and snow economy" has become
whether in the mining and gas sector, and access to energy sources, not to placing the ambitions of Beijing in the Arctic on the agenda of
Russian-Chinese relations, and accordingly, the Chinese initiative
mention opportunities to conduct important scientific research and
experiments, which can only be done under conditions Climatic and could be beneficial to Russia to enhance the results of the policy of
"shift to the east" in the field of infrastructure development and attract
geographical areas in which the Arctic region is blessed.
Based on this, China started to implement the polar strategy. In 2014, China investment, as well as in terms of development Integrated and
planned to launch the second advanced snow sweeper with a value of 613 strengthened social relationships.
million dollars with the aim of "launching research and exploration
capabilities" in the Arctic. It also established the "Chinese Authority for the In conclusion, if it is difficult to assert now that China is still making
pretexts for invading the Arctic, and that this region is a focal point
Arctic and Antarctic", and succeeded in obtaining on the status of a permanent
observer in the Arctic Council in May 2013, which enabled her to influence for new geopolitical developments, where America and Russia are
directly present, this cannot prompt China to announce its role in the
Arctic policies, cooperation and regional relations with the 8-member council,
in addition to other countries participating in it as permanent observer area of control Pivotal to the new international politics. But given the
Arctic as a region rich in fishing, energy and mining resources, it
members.
could be a crucible for Chinese progress. And if Beijing fulfills its
In January 2018, it announced its ambition to establish (the Polar Silk Road), promises, this ocean could become a cornerstone of the political
geography of China, which seeks to be a global party responsible for
as it published the so-called white book "The Arctic Silk Road", in which it
defended its right to navigation towards this ocean, in accordance with the peace replacing the United Nations, so China remains fully attentive
to the attempts of America and other major powers to limit its
United Nations Convention on the Law of Sailing, which guarantees freedom
of navigation in that International Waters. capabilities in the Arctic.
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