China's Arctic Comeback: Testing an 'Arctic 2.0' Strategy
Nearly a decade after announcing its revised Arctic strategy centered on the Polar Silk Road, China's initial ambitious objectives have been stymied by political and logistical realities, including the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The political division of the Arctic between Western and Russian spheres further complicated Beijing's 'whole of Arctic' approach. However, China is now pursuing an 'Arctic 2.0' strategy, rebuilding its northern policies through expanded scientific expeditions, renewed Polar Silk Road efforts, and science diplomacy. In 2025, China launched its 16th Arctic Expedition with multiple icebreakers and research vessels, conducting studies in the Gakkel Ridge. Sino-Russian scientific cooperation has increased, though Chinese research facilities in Svalbard and Iceland face scrutiny over dual-use concerns. Beijing aims to position itself as an alternative partner in Arctic governance amid deepening splits between the US and other NATO Arctic states.
Editorial responsibility
- No named human review is recorded for this page.
- Reports are grouped by semantic similarity and deterministic rules. Language models may assist titles, summaries, translation and cross-source analysis; the page itself is projected from evidence records.
- Current automated evidence projection