Regional Aspects of the Arctic Ice Silk Road: Case of Heilongjiang Province, China

Introduction

In recent years, the Arctic has become an integral part of complex political and economic relations both within the region and beyond. There are many reasons for the Arctic and non-Arctic countries to increasingly pursue their interests in the region: rich mineral and biological resources, a gradual shift in the global extraction of hydrocarbons to the North, and bright commercial perspectives of the deicing transport corridors in the polar waters. The natural conditions of the Arctic and their changes have a direct impact on the climate system and the ecological environment worldwide, and, in turn, on the economic interests of non-Arctic countries in agriculture, forestry, fishery, marine industry, and other sectors. Being a non-Arctic country, China though is closely involved in the trans-regional and global issues in the Arctic, especially in such areas as climate change, environment, scientific research, utilization of shipping routes, resource exploration and exploitation, security, and global governance.

Concrete steps within the new vision of the policy include joint efforts of China and partner Nordic countries to develop a blue economic passage linking China and Europe via the Arctic Ocean and establish a global infrastructure network. China has recently formalized its involvement in the development of the Arctic Blue Economic Corridor (ABEC) as one of the three blue maritime passages with the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) (Erokhin, 2018b). The BRI is a development initiative which focuses on the improvement of connectivity and collaboration among the countries of Eurasia through the increase of China’s role in global affairs (Erokhin, 2017a). The pursuit of strategic interests in the Arctic exactly conforms China’s multifaceted, multilevel, and multidimensional diplomatic concept of development. The whitepaper on China’s Arctic Policy released in January 2018, prioritizes scientific research, underscores the importance of environmental protection, rational utilization, law-based governance and international cooperation, and commits itself to maintaining a peaceful, secure and stable Arctic order (State Council of the People’s Republic of China [State Council], 2018).

The utilization of sea routes and exploration and development of the resources in the Arctic have been recognized as the principal issues for China, which may have a huge impact on the energy strategy and economic development of the country. These are the initial starting points for understanding China’s attitude towards the Arctic and participation of development of transport and economic corridors in the High North. In the sphere of Arctic shipping, China maintains that the management of the Arctic shipping routes should be conducted in accordance with treaties including the United Nations Convention on the Law of Sea (UNCLOS) and general international law and that the freedom of navigation enjoyed by all countries in accordance with the law and their rights to use the Arctic shipping routes should be ensured (State Council, 2018).

The recent initiative of the extension of the BRI to the Arctic and participation of China in the development of the ABEC means that China is open to working with both Arctic and non-Arctic countries to build a Polar Silk Road through developing the Arctic shipping routes. Within the ABEC initiative, China expects its involvement in the infrastructure construction for the ABEC routes in the Arctic territories of Nordic countries, primarily, Russia, and conduction of commercial trial voyages in the polar waters, primarily, the Northern Sea Route (NSR) to pave the way for Chinese commercial, exploration, transport, and logistics operations in the Arctic. China also attaches great importance to navigation security along the prospect routes of the ABEC, particularly, in the seas of the Arctic Ocean controlled by Russia. It has actively conducted studies on these routes and continuously strengthened hydrographic surveys with the aim of improving the navigation, security and logistical capacities in the Arctic.