Research On The Arctic Strategy Of China

Arctic has evolved into the world hot spot and attracted global attention. Under this background, the paper aims to explore the issues of China-involved-Arctic strategy. The first part analyzes the inevitability of China’s participation in Arctic affairs. From the Arctic perspective, its changing climate, rich resource reserves and the surrounding international situations have become an important factor in attracting Chinese participation. From the Chinese perspective, the nation seeking for the reason of climate change, its need for the resources to sustain economic development and the opening of the expectation to open up new route have become the driving forces to promote the China into the Arctic. In addition, according to the general logic of international relations, as a global great power, its interests will also penetrate into every corner of the world. Therefore, it is a necessary requirement that China participate in Arctic affairs-to safeguard national interests. The second part analyzes the relevant external environmental factors that affect the participation of China in the Arctic. Using the PEST-SWOT analysis method, it mainly investigates the political environment (international situation), the economic environment (countries’economic development level in the Arctic), the social environment (Arctic indigenous inhabitants) and the technical environment (currently developing technology reserves) in the Arctic region. The analysis reveals that the Arctic has a relatively complex political environment. The size of each Arctic country is different, which leads to their different relations with China. In view of this, it is difficult for China to adopt a unified strategies to counter it. In the respect of economic environment, the economy of every Arctic country is in a relatively backward state and a great number of funds is needed to support the development of the region. However, because of the overall economic strengths of these countries it is beyond their power to achieve this on their own. In social aspect, the living conditions for Arctic countries’ indigenous inhabitants are different, so are their rights, obligations and autonomy. In technical aspect, on the whole the international community has developed advanced. technologies on Petroleum exploitation in permafrost regions, ice offshore operations and the development of icebreaker. The analysis results show that the technical environment, economic environment do not constitute a threat to China to participate in Arctic affairs. On the contrary, it may become a favorable factor and the social environment is only a neutral one. However, the political environment may be the biggest obstacle for China’s participation in the Arctic. Based on the analysis of the international environment, the third part attempts to explain the strategies on China’s participation in Arctic affairs. First, china should coordinate the relations with other arctic countries especially the bilateral relation, while paying attention to use the existing international multiple platform. Second, china should enhance the social relationship with arctic aborigines in order to obtain their recognitions. Third, take the advantage of economy power and make breakthrough in this area. Last, china should advance its research ability so that it can get more discourse powers in the arctic governance in future. In the end of the paper there is a suggestion that china is better not to publish a formal and high level arctic policy considering its international dilemma. In this stage, it is better to take a low-profile and pragmatic action in participating arctic affair.