Cooperation of Russia and China in the Arctic

Abstract

Currently, the Arctic is becoming part of a complex system of political and economic relations both within and outside the region. Although not an Arctic nation, China seeks to obtain the maximum benefit from the exploitation of potential natural resources and Arctic transport routes on the planet. To achieve these goals, China is trying to actively cooperate with the Russian Federation, which has the world's largest Arctic shelf and controls the Northern sea route (NSR), which is the shortest sea transport artery from Asia to Europe. An example of the collaboration between the two countries in the Arctic is the Yamal LNG liquefied gas project, the willingness of Chinese investors to invest in the construction of a new deep-water port in Arkhangelsk and the Belkomur railway. The article considers the prerequisites for the activation of China's activities in the Arctic zone of the planet, identifies the problems facing the Russian Federation in terms of the implementation of a coordinated state policy throughout the Arctic zone of Russia, the development of the icebreaker fleet and improving the transport accessibility of the Arctic, assesses the consequences of a potentially possible situation where Russian positions on the NSR may weaken, due to external or internal reasons.