Text of Nicolas Laflamme
Who could be interested the Arctic? Polar bears, Russia, Canada, the United States, Denmark, Norway? All of the above strike me as very consistent. However, without being next door, others are concerned about the Arctic region, its natural resources and its strategic location. China is one of them.
My recent reading of the article "China must absolutely take part as soon as possible litigation from the North Pole" (中国 必须 尽快 要 加入 北极 之 争) published by the China.com (中华网) me pushed on the road to discovery of Chinese interests in the Far North. Indeed, China's position is nothing surprising. When a country reaches a certain threshold of development, his interests are no longer confined inside its borders, but rather extend to the entire planet. In this regard, we take the example of the European Union. It held last February military exercises in northern European countries with the Arctic region (Iceland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland). These maneuvers were intended to assert his will also take part in issues related to the North Pole. The rising power is China, more and more conscious of its weight within the international community also wants to hear his opinion about the Arctic. China obviously does not claim to be entitled to the entire Arctic region. This is precisely the international waters of the Arctic Ocean, the Nordic countries are competing, of interest to China. It is this aspect that based its polar set.
Chinese arguments are rooted in the "UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS ). The terms of this agreement is subject to many disagreements between the countries bordering the Arctic. UNCLOS stipulates that the international waters of the Arctic Ocean are located beyond 200 nautical miles (MM) from the coast of the surrounding countries. These 200 MM represent the exclusive economic zones of each country. Moreover, the jurisdiction of countries with established himself as the extension of their continental shelf, which is, if the Arctic, a real Aladdin's cave resources. Article 76 of UNCLOS states that the continental shelf of a State may extend over 300 MM, however, never that water does not exceed 100 MM after reaching 2500 meters deep. In addition, the continental shelf should absolutely be a natural extension without breaking the country's marine territory.
is related to the article 76 of UNCLOS on marine life that is currently quarrel Russian and Danish scientists on the Lomonosov Ridge, which runs directly through the bottom of the North Pole. Scientists from both countries are currently in dispute over whether Lomonosov is a natural extension of Siberia or Greenland. Although the dispute is not resolved, Russia provoked Denmark in August 2007 by planting flag symbolically his to 4300 meters on the North Pole. It is not interesting to mention here that the Russian Komsomolskaya Pravda published periodically as the Arctic, and what it represents, may well be the cause of World War III .
Despite many disagreements among the Arctic States, China maintains that the international community should respect the recommendations of the UNCLOS. The Middle Kingdom support compliance with this agreement because it has the potential to give him any rights to browse, steal, do scientific research and exploit natural resources in international areas of the Arctic. These claims are fairly recent, but considering that many scientists believe that the North Pole will completely melt in the summer of 2030 , better not waste time and take its place in the race for the Arctic.
Professor Guo Peiqing of the Ocean University of China "sets in the sense that the strategy of China in the record Arctic can be divided into four stages. The first is to strengthen scientific research in the field. In this regard, the Chinese government in 1999 sponsored the first research project on to climate research. China has also sent last summer, aboard the icebreaker "Snow Dragon", his fourth team in Arctic research. The second step is for China to strengthen its relations with the countries surrounding the North Pole. Third, an important point is to strengthen coordination between the non-border to the Arctic to find common interests to defend and promote internationally. Fourth, China must develop its own strategy against the North and insert in its overall development plan.
Interestingly about the third point mentioned above is the attitude of China to want to internationalize the issue of Arctic. His position is quite different in regard to the Spratly and Paracel Islands in the South China Sea it competes with other countries in the region. When disputes about this, Beijing is finally resolved to undertake bilateral relations with states in conflict. Two weights, two measures? Note also that several comments and reactions to newspaper articles dealing with Chinese online Chinese referred to the Arctic raised the point that the government should first resolve disputes involving the South China Sea before embarking on an adventure so far. However, the overall strategy of an ambitious country, it is immaterial whether the resources are far or near. China, which faces a growing need for natural resources to feed its development, acting like any truly great power should.
Natural resources and the geopolitical North are increasingly talking in circles of power. Indeed, the North is rich in mineral resources and fisheries, but also oil and natural gas. According to the "Arctic Monitoring and Assessement Programme, resources Oil and natural gas in the Arctic are estimated at 25% of world reserves.
addition to natural resources, another major reason that China attracted in the Arctic is opening new shipping routes in the region. Navigation through the North Pole promises to save lots of money, fuel and time. It is beyond any doubt could not be more attractive to a country like China which is dependent on the Straits of Malacca and canals of Panama and Suez to its business relationships. These straits and passages are saturated with traffic capacity and are hot zones security side. Their sides, For example, the Northwest Passage (north of Canada), and the passage of the North-East (North of Russia) are the shortest ways to connect Shanghai to Rotterdam, Shanghai and New York .
These pathways are currently passable only during the summer. However, global warming may well care to accommodate those who are impatient with the idea of these passages open year round. Indeed, the benefits that represents the Arctic are forgetting parties concerned that the disappearance of the ice sheet also has significant negative consequences. According to the National Snow and Ice Data Center, the Arctic sea ice has melted dramatically over the past thirty years and that too rapid thawing of the North Pole has a major impact on the ecosystem, as the extinction of several species, including polar bears.
The Arctic is therefore more and more about her. Canada, which borders the Arctic is one of the great interest of this hot issue. The Canadian military exercises last summer demonstrated. Canada is currently in a major process of militarization and Northern Development.
A race is bound to split the last piece of cake that is the Arctic, and China seems determined to take part. After the Arctic, he does we'll just address space ... and on this point, China is not the last on board either ...
Nicolas Laflamme Kunming
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