Why a ‘confrontational posture’ won’t help China in the Arctic
China should avoid taking a “confrontational posture” over a new security pact between the United States, Denmark and Greenland as it might end up being excluded from engagement on the emerging Arctic order. That was the warning from Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s National Institute of Strategic Studies (NISS), a Chinese think tank, in a report released on Wednesday. It also said the US was…
China has been cautioned against adopting a confrontational stance towards the recent security pact between the United States, Denmark, and Greenland, as it could lead to exclusion from involvement in the emerging Arctic order, according to a report by Shanghai Jiao Tong University's National Institute of Strategic Studies (NISS).
The US-backed agreement allows for the establishment of two new military bases in Greenland and grants formal input in vetting foreign investment in sensitive sectors, including infrastructure and resource extraction. While the NISS acknowledged that China still has considerable policy flexibility in the Arctic, it warned against two potential misjudgments when evaluating the impact of American policy on Chinese interests in the region.
These include overestimating the speed of ice melt and the commercial value of shipping routes, as well as treating Western restrictions as a denial of China's legitimate rights and interests, which could exacerbate security concerns.
Written by urgent.news from Reuters Business via SCMP's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
