Geo-Setting in the Arctic and Countermeasures of China: A Case Study of the "Polar Silk Road"

Abstract

The Arctic has an important strategic position owing to its rich resources. The world's major nations want to enter the Arctic to participate in Arctic affairs and establish influence in the Arctic; it has become one of the current international hot spots. The current research on geo-setting has turned to the perspective of the national state, but there is little research on this region. Under the background of global warming, China proposed the Arctic policy to build the "Polar Silk Road" with all parties as responsible nations. Based on the framework of geo-setting, this study analyzes the geo-setting of the Arctic and the influence of the "Polar Silk Road" on the geo-setting of the Arctic. First, the geo-setting of the Arctic is complex because it is located at the northernmost end of the earth. It contains rich resources and possesses high strategic value, which has led to competition among major nations in the world. As such, the geo-relations in the Arctic involve many subjects and issues. The subject relations include three aspects: the relation among Arctic nations, the relation between the Near-Arctic nations and the Arctic nations, and the relationship between Arctic aborigines and Arctic nations. These issues focus on territory, economy, energy, and the benefits of Arctic aborigines. The geo-structure of the Arctic has experienced three stages of evolution, and now presents a complex structure with the characteristics of "Central-Subcenter-Periphery." Second, the "Polar Silk Road" will influence the geo-settings in the Arctic in two aspects: on the one hand, although some nations disagree with the "Polar Silk Road," it will improve the tense geo-relations in the Arctic, promote the sub-regional cooperation, enable the participation of the Near-Arctic nations in Arctic affairs, and protect the Arctic indigenous people in general. On the other hand, it will make the core of the geo-structure more stable, the tightness among geo-entities closer, and further extend the geo-relations network.

Keywords

• the arctic
• geo-setting
• regional cooperation
• the "polar silk road"
• chinese initiative