Sanna Kopra is a PhD student at the University of Tampere, Finland.
107
China‟s Arctic Interests
Sanna Kopra
During the last decade, there has been much speculation about whether the rise of China will represent a threat or
opportunity for the international system. More recently, the debate has sped up with China‘s growing interest in the
Arctic region. To date, China has not unveiled an Arctic strategy, but consistent with its rising global status, it is
likely to take a more active role in Arctic affairs. As China‘s Arctic activities cannot be separated from its other
national interests, this article examines them in the context of the party-state‘s overall foreign policy objectives. It begins
with a review of China‘s rise to global power status and its perceived implications for international society, particularly
for international Arctic politics. Following that, it explores China‘s foreign policy objectives and looks at how China‘s
Arctic activities seek to promote these goals. The article concludes that China‘s main Arctic interests include climate
change, economic development, and scientific research. In addition, as China wishes to be seen as a ―responsible major
power‖, it seeks to reassert its position in Arctic international politics without challenging the sovereign rights of the
Arctic littoral states.
Introduction
Since the end of the Cold War, the world has witnessed two significant changes in international
affairs. Firstly, the geopolitical position of the Arctic has changed from highly militarized
confrontation towards international cooperation, both military and civilian (Heininen, 2010).
Particularly, due to globalization and climate change, the Arctic has begun to emerge onto the
international stage (Heininen and Southcott, 2010). Secondly, China‘s international status has risen
dramatically, both in economic and political terms. During the last decade, there have been