China has shown interest in the region for years and may be mapping submarine routes
China's growing involvement and interest in the Arctic could pave the way for a strengthened military presence in the region, including the deployment of submarines to act as deterrents against nuclear attack, the Pentagon said in a report released on Thursday.
The one-page assessment of the potential Chinese threat in the Arctic is included in the Pentagon's annual report to Congress on China's armed forces and comes amid growing interest within the U.S. military to beef up its own operations in the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions of the world.
The Pentagon's assessment notes that China has increased activities and engagement in the Arctic region since gaining observer status on the Arctic Council in 2013.
China has shown a keen economic and scientific interest in the region. Beijing created a polar research institute in 2009 and has organized several scientific expeditions in the Arctic.
China maintains research stations in Iceland and Norway and operates one Ukrainian-built icebreaking research vessel, the Xuelong (Snow Dragon), which in 2017 completed its eighth Arctic expedition and became the first Chinese official vessel to traverse Canada's Northwest Passage, the report notes.
'A near-Arctic state'China is also building a new icebreaker capable of operating in the Arctic, which is expected to enter service in 2019.
In January 2018, Beijing published a white paper on the Arctic, which describes China as a "near-Arctic" state and "an important stakeholder in Arctic affairs."
The strategy identifies China's interests as access to natural resources, securing Arctic sea lines of communications (SLOCs), and promoting an image of a "responsible major country" in Arctic affairs, the Pentagon assessment says.
That has prompted concerns from Arctic states over Beijing's long-term strategic objectives, including possible military deployments.
The Pentagon report noted that Denmark has expressed concern about China's interest in Greenland, which has included proposals to establish a research station and a satellite ground station, renovate airports and expand mining
"Civilian research could support a strengthened Chinese military presence in the Arctic Ocean, which could include deploying submarines to the region as a deterrent against nuclear attacks," the report said.China still has a way to go to match their new BFF:
Designing Arctic-capable submarines
Rob Huebert, senior research fellow with the Centre for Military and Strategic Studies at the University of Calgary, said given "the inevitable logic" of what the Chinese are doing in the Arctic, a discussion of the eventual appearance of their submarines had to take place....MUCH MORE
Russia To Introduce Nuclear-Powered Ice-Breaking Submarines
Because, why not?
China is working toward their first nuke icebreaker, a category that Russia owns:
"China to Use First Atomic Icebreaker as Test for Future Nuclear Aircraft Carriers"
