China and the Arctic: An Opportunity for the U.S.

• Main Author: CASTELEYN,MAXIME C
• Other Authors: AIR WAR COLLEGE MAXWELL AFB United States
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2017
• Subjects: Government and Political Science; china; Russia; climate change; ARCTIC REGIONS; united states government; government (foreign); economic growth; alliances; security; strategy; COMMUNISM; arctic access; Chinese-Russian Conflict; unclos (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea); ccp (Chinese communist party); Arctic; Climate change; Law of the Sea
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/AD1038063; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=AD1038063

As the environment changes, access to the vast resources of the Arctic will be required for nations to maintain and grow their populations. China in particular is likely to be affected by a changing climate and actively seeks access to resources such as hydrocarbons, minerals, and fish available in the Arctic. China needs these resources to maintain its economic growth and development and consequently legitimize and sustain the power of the ruling CCP. China actively forms business and scientific partnerships to further access the Arctic. A major obstacle to China's Arctic access is Russia. Russia's Arctic littoral nation status, control of Arctic sea routes, and general belligerence on a global front obstruct China's ability to secure the resources it needs. The United States' security and partnerships are also affected by Russian belligerence. It is advantageous for the United States to leverage its position as an Arctic littoral nation in order to provide China Arctic access while simultaneously limiting Russian power. Doing so will maintain China's economic growth, the stability of the Chinese-U.S. trade relationship, and U.S. global security.