For over a decade the Arctic and the Northern Sea Route were Putin's especial interests but now the Russian state doesn't have the financial resources to chase Putin's dream.
From the Wall Street Journal, October 2:
Isolated over Ukraine invasion, Moscow seeks Beijing’s help as it ships more oil east through polar routes
China’s goal of becoming a major player in the Arctic has long been frustrated by its neighbor Russia, which has closely protected its dominant role in the region.
Now, along with the ice that encases the earth’s northern pole, Moscow’s resistance is beginning to thaw.
Faced with economic isolation over its invasion of Ukraine, Russia is turning to China for help developing the Arctic as Western energy companies are trying to pull out of Russian projects. The newfound cooperation is most evident in surging shipments of crude through the Northern Sea Route, which traverses the Arctic from northwestern Russia to the Bering Strait.
The volume, while still small compared with what is carried via southern routes, has shot up in recent weeks. Russia asserts the right to regulate transit on the route. It says the demand has driven it to permit larger tankers without so-called ice classification—stronger hulls and other reinforcements to sail the ice-filled waters—raising fears of spills in the remote region. The first of two larger tankers arrived at a Chinese port in recent days, each carrying more than one million barrels of oil.
Russia has joined with China in naval exercises and maritime security arrangements in the far north, and looked to it for aid in technology such as satellite data to monitor ice conditions.
When it comes to the Arctic, China “doesn’t have to care so much about official Russian policy anymore,” said Marcus M. Keupp, an economics lecturer at the military academy of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich who studies the region.
For China, which declared itself a “near Arctic” nation in 2018 despite being more than 900 miles from the Arctic Circle, Russia’s new welcome provides a long-sought opportunity. Beijing has wanted to expand its role in the Arctic to increase access to shipping routes, natural resources, climate and other scientific research opportunities, and expand its military and strategic clout....
....MUCH MORE
If interested see also:
"New state commission takes on Putin’s big plan for the Arctic"I've mentioned that President Putin takes a personal interest in Russia's Arctic doings. Here are a couple posts, almost 11 years apart:
Russian navy’s Arctic patrol vessels suffer delays of 3-4 years
President Putin almost looks upon the Arctic as his pet project, a really large pet project but his, and the fact the government budget can't come up with the loot to pay for the ships is an intriguing insight into Russia's true financial state. I guess even theAutocrat of all the RussiasPresident of Russia has limits....
Russia and the Arctic
"Putin's grand plan for Arctic shipping might wreck in Barents Sea"Previously:
May 2020
Putin Wants to Haul More Fish Along the Northern Sea Route
January 2020
"Moscow adopts 15-year grand plan for Northern Sea Route"
November 2019
Shipping on Northern Sea Route up 63 percent, Putin Smiles
January 2019
Ministry hints Putin’s Arctic ambitions are not realistic
October 2018
"New state commission takes on Putin’s big plan for the Arctic"
May 2018
"It’s an order from the Kremlin: shipping on Northern Sea Route to reach 80 million tons by 2024" March 29, 2018
Russian navy’s Arctic patrol vessels suffer delays of 3-4 years
"Russia seeks Chinese support in developing Arctic shipping routes, promising long-term gas supplies in return"
And many more. Regarding China in the Great White North:
"China’s Emerging Strategies in the Arctic"
"China’s Polar Strategy: An Emerging Gray Zone?"
"Pentagon warns of risk of Chinese submarines in the Arctic"
"Don't Fear China's Arctic Takeover"
"How To Avoid A Naval Cold War In The High North"
Natural Gas: "Chinese oilmen make big discovery in Russian Arctic waters"
"China opens bids for first nuclear-powered icebreaker"
China seeks a more active role in the Arctic
China defines itself as a near-Arctic state and says it will actively participate with wisdom and strength to future protection and development. Roger that, wisdom and strength, over.Flashback, June 2018:
...On the other hand, if you read Xinhua's translation of January's "Full text: China's Arctic Policy" you'll note they call themselves a ‘Near-Arctic state’.Additionally China is couching their interest in terms of research:
This is to counter people like me using the 'non-polar' or 'non-Arctic' phrasing.
States from outside the Arctic region do not have territorial sovereignty in the Arctic, but they do have rights in respect of scientific research, navigation, overflight, fishing, laying of submarine cables and pipelines in the high seas and other relevant sea areas in the Arctic Ocean, and rights to resource exploration and exploitation in the Area, pursuant to treaties such as UNCLOS and general international law. In addition, Contracting Parties to the Spitsbergen Treaty enjoy the liberty of access and entry to certain areas of the Arctic, the right under conditions of equality and, in accordance with law, to the exercise and practice of scientific research, production and commercial activities such as hunting, fishing, and mining in these areas....
