Growing Number of Expert Discussion Participants on the Role of China in the Arctic

On March 26, 2019, Timur Makhmutov, RIAC Deputy Director of Programs, made a speech at the round table “Interaction between Russia and China in the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation. Problems and Prospects.“ The event was organized by the Project Office on Arctic Development (PORA Discussion Club), which, for the first time, touched upon the issue of the participation of East Asian countries in Arctic projects.

On March 26, 2019, Timur Makhmutov, RIAC Deputy Director of Programs, made a speech at the round table “Interaction between Russia and China in the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation. Problems and Prospects.“ The event was organized by the Project Office on Arctic Development (PORA Discussion Club), which, for the first time, touched upon the issue of the participation of East Asian countries in Arctic projects.

The discussion was attended by leading experts on energy, natural resources of the Arctic, international relations and international law, the development of the Arctic regions.

In the course of discussion the participants underscored the importance of further study of China's investment, scientific, and transport activities in the Arctic. Special emphasis was placed on the prospects for the solid mineral extraction in the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation (AZRF), which can be up to half the value of the natural resources explored in the AZRF. Given the current relationship between Iceland and China, experts recommend paying attention to the development of their cooperation, primarily in connection with the upcoming Iceland’s Chairmanship of the Arctic Council in May of this year.