China's Arctic ambition eye raw materials and military bases

DW (English)

China sees the Arctic as a key region for influence, aiming to shape governance rules and secure access to raw materials like rare earths, oil, and gas.

Transcript

00:00The Arctic is becoming the focus of global power politics.

00:05As the ice melts, new trade routes are opening up.

00:10The Northern Sea Route along the Russian coast is already passable during the summer.

00:15And by 2030, it may be completely ice-free even during winter months.

00:21Researchers say the Central Arctic Route is becoming navigable as a result of climate change.

00:26The Northern Sea Route shortens the travel time.

00:30Between Europe and Asia by about 15 days compared to going through the Suez Canal.

00:35And even longer if you compare it to the routes that go around the Horn of Africa.

00:40New trade routes is one way the landscape is changing.

00:44But China's ambitions go further.

00:46Raw materials, military bases.

00:49The Arctic is one of the regions where China wants to gain political influence.

00:55That's according to the think tank, the Mercator Institute for China Studies in Berlin.

01:00One of the objectives that China has for the Arctic as well is to be able to shape the rules that govern the region.

01:11And China wants to do this in ways that will clash with European priorities and values.

01:17For example, by eliminating any universally binding rules and putting national interest and national sovereignty at the top.

01:25Conflict with Europe seems inevitable.

01:28Several European countries, like Norway and Finland, are partially located in the Arctic.

01:34The United States is also making massive efforts to gain influence, for example, in Greenland.

01:42Europe is under pressure and fears for its own interests, for example, in terms of raw materials.

01:48The Arctic has large deposits of rare earth elements, oil and gas, that Europe was one of the actors hoping to potentially explore in the future.

02:00While China is increasingly turning to Russia to assert its interests in the Arctic, Europe has so far been without its own strategy.

02:09Only recently has the realization dawned that the Arctic is of crucial importance for Europe's economy, security and geopolitical weight.

02:18Splash T

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