The Position of the North Pole and the Polar Silk Road in the War of Corridors

Yazdi Madrasi, Seyyed Mohammad Ali; Tisheyar, Mandana

doi:10.22099/ijas.2024.51071.1012

The Position of the North Pole and the Polar Silk Road in the War of Corridors

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ BA Student in Political Science, Law and Political Sciences Department, Allameh Tabatabai University, Tehran, Iran

² Assistant Professor of Regional Studies, Department of Regional Studies at ECO College, Allameh Tabatabai University, Tehran, Iran

10.22099/ijas.2024.51071.1012

Abstract

The main question in this research is: assuming China is under economic blockade by the United States of America and its trading partners such as India, what strategy will China adopt to break free from this blockade? And what impact will this policy have on the future order? The explanation of the Arctic Silk Road and its strategic position in the competition between the centers of economic power has been discussed using the network order approach and a descriptive-analytical research method. It seems that in this economic competition, China is seeking to create a network of interests among stakeholders through the implementation of projects such as the Green Silk Road (GSR), Health Silk Road (HSR), and Digital Silk Road (DSR), it faces fundamental challenges in terms of energy supply and access to global trade routes. These challenges arise from policies such as route deterrence and infrastructure deterrence, as well as the influence of global and domestic public opinion on countries receiving Chinese investment. Implementing the Polar Silk Road project will meet China's basic needs for energy and trade routes and reduce the country's future challenges in navigating strategic routes like the Malacca Strait and the Suez Canal to reach the European market. Moreover, with the initiation of this strategic route, the geopolitical and geo-economic landscape of the world will undergo fundamental changes.

Keywords

Main Subjects

international Politics in Asia

References

Alhasan, H. & Viraj, S. (2022). The I2U2 Minilateral Group. available at: https://www.iiss.org/online-analysis/online-analysis/2022/11/the-minilateral-i2u2-group/

Babones, A. (2020). The Next Front in the India-China Conflict Could Be a Thai Canal, available at: https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/09/01/china-india-conflict-thai-kra-canal/

Bird, K. J. et al (USGS) (2008). Circum-Arctic Resource Appraisal: Estimates of Undiscovered Oil and Gas North of the Arctic Circle, available at: https://www.highnorthnews.com/en/russian-mining-company-partners-china-develop-massive-titanium-deposit-arctic

Buchan, P. & Rimland, B. G. (2020). Defining the Diamond: The Past, Present, and Future of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue. available at: https://www.csis.org/analysis/defining-diamond-past-present-and-future-quadrilateral-security-dialogue

Biedermann, R. (2020). The Polar Silk Road: china's multilevel Arctic strategy to globalize the Far North, Contemporary Chinese Political Economy and Strategic Relations, 6(2): 571-615

Cornwell, A. (2022). Israel-UAE Boost Ties with Free Trade Pact, available at: https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-uae-sign-free-trade-deal-ambassador-2022-05-31/

Council of Foreign Relations (2023). Assessing China's Digital Silk Road Initiative, available at: https://www.cfr.org/china-digital-silk-road/

CSIS (2023). Frozen Frontiers: China’s Great Power Ambitions in the Polar Regions, available at: https://features.csis.org/hiddenreach/china-polar-research-facility/

Detsch, J. & Gramer, R. (2024). Geopolitics of New Arctic Shipping Lanes, available at: https://foreignpolicy.com/2024/05/30/arctic-geopolitics-russia-china-maritime-trade-northern-sea-route/

Ferreira-Pereira, L. C. & Duarte, P. A. & Santos, N. (2023). Why Is China Going Polar? Understanding Engagement and Implications for the Arctic and Antarctica, The Palgrave Handbook of Globalization with Chinese Characteristics, pp: 765-782

Gale, J. (2018). The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue and the Maritime Silk Road Initiative, available at: https://www.csis.org/analysis/quadrilateral-security-dialogue-and-maritime-silk-road-initiative

Grieger, G. (2018). China's Arctic policy: How China aligns rights and interests, available at: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2018/620231/EPRS_BRI(2018)620231_EN.pdf

Humpert, M. (2023). Russia to Export 100m tons of LNG by 2030, available at: https://www.highnorthnews.com/en/russia-export-100m-tons-lng-2030

Humpert, M. (2023) Russian Mining Company Partners with China to Develop Massive Titanium Deposit in the Arctic, available at: https://www.highnorthnews.com/en/russian-mining-company-partners-china-develop-massive-titanium-deposit-arctic

Tillman, H. & Yang, J. & Nielsson, E. (2018) The Polar Silk Road: China’s New Frontier of International Cooperation, available at: https://www.worldscientific.com/doi/10.1142/S2377740018500215?srsltid=AfmBOopSi6fe3mlkFT_EXfAFHNG3yiUrrgtAfnTj0k_xIsx6dc8l0wJn

Lamazhapov, E. & Stensdal, I. & Heggelund, G. (2023) China’s Polar Silk Road: Long Game or Failed Strategy, available at: https://www.thearcticinstitute.org/china-polar-silk-road-long-game-failed-strategy/

Markey, D. & Youssef, H. (2022) What You Need to Know About the I2U2: A new ‘Quad’ aims to deepen economic cooperation among Israel, India, the UAE and the United States” available at:

https://www.usip.org/publications/2022/07/what-you-need-know-about-i2u2

McBride, J. & Berman. N. & Chatzky, A. (2023) China’s Massive Belt and Road Initiative, available at: https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/chinas-massive-belt-and-road-initiative

Mills, F. (2022). Why Russia is Building an Arctic Silk Road, available at: https://www.theb1m.com/video/russia-arctic-sea-route-megaport-rosneft

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (2016) available at: https://www.mofa.go.jp/a_o/ocn/au/page3e_000532.html

MOFCOM (April 20, 2023). Regular Press Conference, available at: http://english.mofcom.gov.cn/article/newsrelease/press/202305/20230503408324.shtml

Medium (2022) The Dark Side of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, available at: https://medium.com/the-investors-handbook/the-dark-side-of-chinas-belt-and-road-initiative-3bc6b30c6dc0

National Development and Reform Commission People’s Republic of China (2022). China Propels Joint Construction of Green Silk Road with Active Efforts, available at: https://en.ndrc.gov.cn/news/mediarusources/202201/t20220126_1313440.html

National Strategy for the Arctic Region (October 2022). available at: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/National-Strategy-for-the-Arctic-Region.pdf

Nedopil, C. (2023) Countries of the Belt and Road Initiative, Shanghai, Green Finance & Development Center, FISF Fudan University, available at: https://greenfdc.org/countries-of-the-belt-and-road-initiative-bri/

Raman, S. (2022). Polar Silk Route - In Graphic Detail, available at: https://arcticportal.org/ap-library/news/2985-polar-silk-route-in-graphic-detail

Stone, A. & Wood, P. (2020) China’s Military-civil Fusion Strategy, China Aerospace Studies Institute

Statista (2022). The Polar Silk Road, available at: https://www.statista.com/chart/30201/major-maritime-routes-opening-up-in-the-arctic/

Wade, Geoff. (2023). Australia-China Relations. available at: https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/BriefingBook47p/AustraliaChinaRelations

Wei, H. (2021) “Sticking Together through Thick and Thin for 50 Years: China, the United Nations, and the Future” available at: http://gd.china-embassy.gov.cn/eng/zxhd_1/202110/t20211029_10403872.htm

White House (2022). Joint Statement of the Leaders of India, Isreal, United Arab Emirates, and the United States (I2U2) available at: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/07/14/joint-statement-of-the-leaders-of-india-israel-united-arab-emirates-and-the-united-states-i2u2/

Xiao, A. & Yifei, D. (2023). Evolution of China’s Belt and Road Initiative: Green Silk Road, available at:

https://www.invesco.com/apac/en/institutional/insights/fixed-income/evolution-of-chinas-belt-and-road-initiative-green-silk-road.html

Xiao, A. & Yifei, D. (2023). Evolution of China’s Belt and Road Initiative: Digital Silk Road” available at:

https://www.invesco.com/apac/en/institutional/insights/fixed-income/evolution-of-chinas-belt-and-road-initiative-digital-silk-road.html#4

Xiao, A. & Yifei, D. (2023). Evolution of China’s Belt and Road Initiative: Polar Silk Road, available at:

https://www.invesco.com/apac/en/institutional/insights/fixed-income/evolution-chinas-belt-and-road-initiative.html

Xinhua (2023). Key Takeaways from BRI White Paper, available at: https://english.www.gov.cn/news/202310/11/content_WS6526994fc6d0868f4e8e024a.html

Xinhua (2018). The State Council Information Office of the People’s Republic of China, China’s Arctic Policy” available at:

https://english.www.gov.cn/archive/white_paper/2018/01/26/content_281476026660336.htm

Yilmaz, C. (2023). Polar Silk Road Challenge to Sino-Egyptian Economic Relations in the Belt and Road Era, Journal of Balkan and Near Eastern Studies, 25(5): 797-810.