Content uploaded by Vasily Erokhin
Author content
All content in this area was uploaded by Vasily Erokhin on Apr 16, 2021
Content may be subject to copyright.
A preview of the PDF is not available
Arctic Blue Economic Corridor: China’s Role in the Development of a New Connectivity Paradigm in the North
Abstract and Figures
In recent years, the growing exploration of natural resources and development of transport routes have reemerged in the Arctic as scenes for political and economic collaboration between Nordic and non-regional states. Being a non-Arctic country, China nevertheless has played an active role in the elaboration of international regulations and the establishment of governance mechanisms in the Arctic. The country has recently released a White Paper on Arctic Policy and thus prioritized scientific research; underscored the importance of environmental protection, rational utilization, law-based governance, and international cooperation; and committed itself to maintaining a peaceful, secure, and stable Arctic order. Diversified transportation routes and economic corridors are of paramount importance to such global trading nations as China. However, an extension of the economic corridors to the Arctic is viable only in the case of development of satellite trade, production, and research opportunities along the potential transport routes. In this study, the authors discuss the critical points in the implementation of China’s paradigm of collaboration and connectivity in the Arctic, as well as focus on the promotion of bilateral win-to-win investment and trade projects with the countries along the potential Arctic Blue Economic Corridor (ABEC). The authors conclude that the ABEC may be efficiently incorporated into China’s Belt and Road network but emphasize that specific technological and economic challenges must be considered and met before a sustainable connectivity between the markets of Asia and Europe is established in the Arctic.
Figures - uploaded by Vasily Erokhin
Author content
All figure content in this area was uploaded by Vasily Erokhin
Content may be subject to copyright.
... China's Arctic Policy states that the PSR "facilitates connectivity and sustainable economic and social development of the Arctic" [23] by opening up an economic passage between China and Europe through Russia's Northern Sea Route (NSR) [24,25]. Many scholars have studied the conditions and requirements for trans-Arctic shipping routes to be economically feasible [26][27][28], analyzed freight traffic between Europe, Russia, China, and other countries of Asia [29][30][31], and modeled future volumes of transit and cabotage cargo flows with account for climate change [32][33][34][35][36], exploration of mineral and hydrocarbon resources in the High North [37][38][39][40][41][42], and perspectives of bulk and container transport [35,[43][44][45][46]. Before the COVID-19 outbreak hit the world, China had planned to redirect up to 1% of its maritime trade to the PSR by the early 2020s [47]. However, with the pandemic emerging into a global economic threat, there have emerged a number of new issues that could derail the PSR initiative [48]. ...
In light of about 80% of international freight traffic carried by sea, maritime supply chains’ stability is pivotal to global connectivity. For over a year now, the transboundary mobility of vessels and cargoes has been restricted by diverse forms of the COVID-19 containment measures applied by national governments, while the lockdowns of people, businesses, and economic activities have significantly affected the growth prospects of various maritime connectivity initiatives. This study investigates how the pandemic-related public health, trade, and market factors have shifted the connectivity patterns in the Polar Silk Road (PSR) transport corridor between China, South Korea, Japan, Russia, and four economies of Northern Europe. The causality links between the Shipping Connectivity Index (SCI) and the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths, trade volumes with China and the rest of the world, and price indexes of minerals, fuels, food, and agricultural products are revealed separately for eight countries and thirty-five ports. The study algorithm is built on the consecutive application of the Augmented Dickey-Fuller (ADF) and the Phillips-Perron (PP) stationarity tests, the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) method, the Fully-Modified Ordinary Least Squares (FMOLS) and the Dynamic Ordinary Least Squares (DOLS) robustness checks, and the Toda-Yamamoto causality test. Tight trade-connectivity links are recorded in all locations along the China-PSR transport corridor in 2015–2019, but in 2020, the relationships weakened. Bidirectional influences between the number of COVID-19 cases and connectivity parameters demonstrate the maritime sector’s sensitivity to safety regulations and bring into focus the role of cargo shipping in the transboundary spread of the virus. The authors’ four-stage approach contributes to the establishment of a methodology framework that may equip stakeholders with insights about potential risks to maritime connectivity in the China-PSR maritime trade in the course of the pandemic.
Since the 1970s, the energy sector has become an increasingly important driver of economic growth in the Arctic. The exploration and exploitation of energy resources above the Arctic Circle are of vital concern to Russia. Its nine circumpolar territories accumulate vast reserves of hydrocarbons and minerals. While the Russian Arctic accounts for 80% and 17% of the country’s total output of natural gas and oil, respectively, it has also emerged as one of the planet-scale air and water pollution sources. Being a part of the global climate change mitigation agenda, Russia attempts to converge decarbonization efforts with industrial development priorities and energy security goals. This challenge is being addressed by implementing the sustainability-focused approach to the use of energy resources, allocation of power generating facilities, and support of local communities. In the chapter, the authors explore the opportunities for the sustainable environmental and spatial development of circumpolar territories through the modernization of conventional energy industries, promoting innovative low-emission and low-carbon energy technologies, and international collaboration in the energy sector.
Delineation and delimitation of extended continental shelves is an emerging issue in
international relations. Submissions to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental
Shelf (CLCS) triggered disputes among the coastal states with the overlapping claims.
However, some of them managed to reach non-objection agreements which allowed the
CLCS to proceed. The aim of this study is to identify the critical variable which
influenced the cooperation process on delineation. The methodology is based on
comparative study of two cases: the Arctic Ocean and the South China Sea. The original
hypothesis of this research was that the pre-existing international, much functional,
cooperation was the critical variable which influenced the adoption of non-objection
memoranda of understanding in the Arctic Ocean, and that it might have potential to
influence in the South China Sea. The main objectives of this study are to contribute
towards a better understanding of a legal nature of delineation and to demonstrate
interrelations between international law and geopolitics in regard to the delineation.
What dilemmas and challenges are Greenland facing in the light of the wish for future independence? This article reflects on central issues relating to the Greenlandic economy and business structure of today and the possibilities in a future secession from the Kingdom of Denmark. The article demonstrates that – besides the grants from Denmark and the EU which amounts to approximately 60 % of the income of the Greenland Government – the foundation for Greenland’s economy and business structure since the 1950s and 60s has been fishery which is still thriving. The article also shows that this is a single stranded and sensitive business structure that cannot alone meet the income needs for an independent Greenland. The article points out that the Greenlandic economy needs diversification and that the business environment should be developed. Particularly innovation and new product development in the marine industry, such as development in bio-economy, could be elaborated. There is also room for entrepreneurship within the cultural and creative industries. Developments of the tourism industry must be pursued and a comprehensive strategy for attracting foreign and direct investment to Greenland should be developed.
In the beginning of the article, the legal and political framework for Greenland's international and foreign affairs actions under the current self-government act and the Danish constitution are introduced. Although Denmark, pursuant to the constitution possesses the competences of foreign affairs politics within the Kingdom, it is also made clear that reality is a bit more complicated and Greenland is not without its competences, rights and democratic responsibility to the Greenlandic people within foreign affairs. Based on Greenland's previous colonial status under the UN and international law for colonies, as well as the aforementioned legislation, the possibilities for Greenland's development within foreign affairs are dealt with in an independence perspective. The possibilities under a possible federal model or a Free Association relationship with Denmark are highlighted as worth striving for. The article does not go into depth with individual cases, but focuses on frameworks and relevant subjects, such as security policy, membership of international organizations and practical aspects like capacity considerations.
China’s Arctic Ambitions and What They Mean for Canada is one of the first in-depth studies of China’s increasing interest in the Arctic. It offers a holistic approach to understanding Chinese motivations and the potential impacts of greater Chinese presence in the circumpolar region, exploring resource development, shipping, scientific research, governance, and security.
Drawing on extensive research in Chinese government documentation, business and media reports, and current academic literature, this timely volume eschews the traditional assumption that Chinese actions are unified and monolithic in their approach to Arctic affairs. Instead, it offers a careful analysis of the different, and often competing, interests and priorities of Chinese government and industry.
Analyzing Chinese interests and activities from a Canadian perspective, the book provides an unparalleled point of reference to discuss the implications for the Canadian and broader circumpolar North.
Most studies of Asian state involvement in Arctic affairs assume that shorter sea-lanes to Europe are a major driver of interest, so this article begins by examining the prominence of shipping concerns in Arctic policy statements made by major Asian states. Using a bottom-up approach, we consider the advantages of Arctic sea routes over the Suez and Panama alternatives in light of the political, bureaucratic and economic conditions surrounding shipping and shipbuilding in China, Japan and the Republic of Korea. Especially Japanese and Korean policy documents indicate soberness rather than optimism concerning Arctic sea routes, noting the remaining limitations and the need for in-depth feasibility studies. That policymakers show greater caution than analysts, links in with our second finding: in Japan and Korea, maritime-sector bureaucracies responsible for industries with Arctic experience have been closely involved in policy development, more so than in China. Thirdly, we find a clear tendency towards rising industry-level caution and restraint in all three countries, reflecting financial difficulties in several major companies as well as growing sensitivity to the economic and political risks associated with the Arctic routes. Finally, our examination of bilateral and multilateral Chinese, Japanese and Korean diplomatic activity concerning Arctic shipping exhibits a lower profile than indicated by earlier studies.
Responsible Editor: Øyvind Ravna, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Norway