China's coast guard enters the Arctic for the first time and strengthens Russia bonds
China's coast guard enters the Arctic for the first time and strengthens Russia bonds
The China's coast guard has announced that it for the first time entered the waters of the Arctic Ocean, as part of a common patrol with Russia. This is another sign of the increased cooperation between the two countries in a region in which Beijing has long wanted to expand its influence.
Details about the patrol
The announcement was made a day after the US Coast Wache reported that they had seen four ships of the Russian border guard and the Chinese coast guard in the Bering Sea. This is the northernmost place where these Chinese ships were observed. The common patrol "effectively expanded the area of application of the coast guard" and checked its ability to "carry out missions in unknown waters", according to China's coast guard (CCG) in a post on its official social media account.
reactions from the USA
The CCG did not announce the exact location of the patrol. A banner that could be seen on one of the ships wore the inscription: "China's coast guard dedicates her heart to the party; loyalty in the Arctic Ocean" - in allusion to the prevailing communist party in China. The Russian government has not yet officially recognized the patrol; However, the Chinese state television broadcaster CCTV reported that it took place "a few days ago".
On Monday, the US Coast Guard announced that they had observed a few miles within the Russian economic zone on the four ships that drove "in the northeastern direction" in the Bering Sea. The Bering Sea extends between Russia and Alaska and is part of the North Pacific. It leads via Beringstrasse into the Arctic Ocean, which separates Asia from North America.
strategic implications
"This recent activity shows the increased interest of our strategic competitors in the Arctic," said counter -admiral Megan Dean, commander of the 17th coastal guard district, in the communication of the USCG. The United States has expressed concerns about China's growing influence and cooperation with Russia in the strategically important and environmentally politically sensitive Arctic, while the two countries generally intensify in their security and economic relationships.
In July,US and Canadian armed forces intercept Russian and Chinese bombers that flew together near Alaska for the first time. In addition, the two navals operated together in international waters off the coast of Alaska in 2022 and 2023. Last year, the CCG and the Russian domestic intelligence agency, which operates the coast guard, agreed to increase its "cooperation in maritime law enforcement", and China was invited to observe the "Arctic Patrol-2023" exercise in Russia
China's ambitions in the Arctic
Beijing has been pursuing the goal of expanding its influence in the Arctic for years, declaring itself as a "near-arctic state" and strengthening its icebreaking and research skills in the region, in which China has also invested strongly in Russian energy projects. Russia, one of the eight Arctic countries, was historically hesitant, China in a region that is crucial for its own security and military power. However, analysts agree that Moscow's increasing dependence on China - its most important diplomatic and economical partner - may change this calculation due to the war in Ukraine. In its first update of the arctic strategy for five years, the US Department of Defense has warned in July of "growing cooperation" between Russia and China, which could potentially change the image of the Arctic.
economic aspects
The coast guard of China is one of the country's popular police forces who are subordinate to the central military commission, and it was often at the forefront of China's efforts to assert its territorial demands in controversial waters. For example, the Philippines have repeatedly accused the CCG to attack their fishermen and other ships with water cannons and other methods.
In addition to her power projection, Beijing has a practical interest in expanding his cooperation with Russia and its presence in the waters of the far north. Experts emphasize that China's coast guard could possibly protect its economic interests in the Arctic in the future. In the Arctic policy of 2018, Beijing outlined his vision for a “polar silk road” that is supposed to combine Asia with Europe by developing trade routes such as the northern route through the Arctic.The transitivity on the north route has risen to record-breaking heights in accordance with the data of the Center for High North Logistics, which is connected to the North University in Norway. By September 30, around 95% of the freight volume came along the route from Russia to China.
The cooperation of the coast guard "is related to China's interests along the maritime transport along at least some parts of the Nordroute," said Andreas Østhagen, a researcher at Fridtjof Nansen Institute in Norway. "The fact that you have initiated such operations is a further step in the ongoing practical cooperation between the two countries in the Arctic or nearby Arctic context."
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