US Navy Commander: "China Could Exploit the Arctic"... Emphasizes NATO's Need for Surveillance

"Unilateral Sovereignty Claims in the South China Sea, Possible Actions in the Arctic Ocean"
"Belt and Road, Ice Silk Road Projects Pose Security Threats to the US and Europe"

In July 2017, the Chinese polar expedition team conducting exploration work near the North Pole aboard the icebreaker Xuelong. [Image source=Xinhua·Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] James Foggo, Commander of the U.S. Navy Europe and Africa Command, warned that China’s recent Arctic expansion strategy could threaten the security situation of the United States and various European countries. He emphasized that since China’s unilateral territorial claims in the South China Sea have pressured Southeast Asian countries, similar situations could occur in the Arctic Ocean, and NATO member countries should collectively monitor China’s activities in the future.

According to the Hong Kong South China Morning Post (SCMP) on the 29th, Commander Foggo stated at an online seminar hosted by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) on the 28th (local time), “China is dramatically exploiting the Arctic, threatening not only the exploitation of Arctic resources but also security,” adding, “Since China has set a precedent of unilaterally asserting its sovereignty in the South China Sea while ignoring the rights of other countries, it may exhibit similar behavior in the Arctic.”

He said, “China is not even a country adjacent to the Arctic, yet it calls itself an ‘Arctic state.’ China is attempting to claim everything from natural resource exploration to the potential of future Arctic routes under the name of the ‘Ice Silk Road,’ and the United States and European countries must unite to counter these moves by China.” Earlier, in January 2018, China referred to itself as an Arctic state in its Arctic Policy White Paper and announced plans to build an Ice Silk Road along Arctic routes and actively pursue development policies.

At that time, the United States dismissed China’s claim as absurd, pointing out that China’s territory is more than 3,000 km away from the Arctic Ocean and thus cannot be considered an Arctic state. Nevertheless, China has been strengthening cooperation with Russia in developing natural gas, oil, and Arctic routes in the Arctic Ocean while increasing investments in natural resource exploration.

Since 2013, China has participated as an observer in the Arctic Council, an international organization discussing Arctic-related issues, and has also intervened in policy matters. The Arctic Council was established in 1996 with eight member countries adjacent to the Arctic Circle, including the United States, Russia, and Canada, and currently includes 13 observer countries such as France, the United Kingdom, and China. In May of last year, foreign media including the Associated Press cited a senior U.S. State Department official saying that the United States opposes China’s attempts to intervene in Arctic policy-making within the Arctic Council.

Commander Foggo also warned that China’s ambitions in the Arctic Ocean, along with the Belt and Road Initiative (一帶一路: land and maritime Silk Road) spanning Asia, Europe, and Africa, threaten the security of the United States and Europe. He said, “China is conducting a $1 trillion Belt and Road project across 125 countries worldwide, gaining easy access to military intelligence on major ports and airports in Africa and European countries,” adding, “China’s active push into Europe with 5G communication technology also poses a high security risk. NATO can no longer ignore China’s activities in Europe.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.