China’s expanding economy has set new standards of the natural resources it needs to maintain its
economic growth and since China is no longer self-reliant in regards of natural resources, Beijing has
already been seeking oil and other energy and natural resources in Africa, the Middle East, Latin
America, Central Asia, the South Pacific and South-east Asia.
China has a long history of climate and scientific research in the Arctic region and in 2013 China was
granted the status as a permanent observer within the Arctic Council. Beijing has stated that its main
interest in the Arctic region is to continue its research, but since Beijing has not yet published any
official Arctic policy, there is uncertainty about China’s true objectives in the Arctic. This research
investigates whether or not China holds genuine interests of climate and scientific research or
whether its Arctic interests are merely based on the potential of extracting natural resources.