Coming into the Cold: Asia’s Arctic interests
This project will examine the increasing Arctic interests of four key Asian states (China, Japan, Singapore, South Korea) and illustrate how Arctic states (US, Norway, Russia) are meeting this growing interest. The aim is to analyze the consequences the increased involvement of Asian states may have for Arctic governance and geopolitics.Deltakere
Elana Wilson Rowe
Per Erik Solli
Climate change is rendering the Arctic Ocean increasingly open and raising the prospect of increased activity in the region. First, we will examine the Arctic policies and interests of four key Asian countries with expressed interest in the Arctic – China, Japan, Singapore and South Korea.
Key questions for the Asian case studies:
- What are the Arctic interests of these states (commercial, political, security, environmental)?
- Do they accept or challenge the current state of Arctic governance?
- What avenues do they pursue in attempting to realize or promote their Arctic interests? In multilateral forums? In bilateral relations? In private (NGO, commercial, scientific) settings?
Secondly, we will analyze how the Arctic coastal states are meeting (or not meeting) this rising interest. We will look at the responses of all five Arctic coastal states, with particular attention devoted to the USA, Russia and Norway.
Key questions on the Arctic coastal states:
- How are these countries responding to the Arctic involvement and interests of Asian states?
- What are the motivations and concerns shaping these particular responses?
- Where do these countries seek contact with Asian countries on issues relating to the Arctic? In multilateral settings? Via bilateral relations? And under what kinds of premises (political, commercial, security) does this interaction take place?
The study will conclude by comparing and contrasting how Asian states approach the Arctic and how key Arctic states receive their interests. We will also discuss the implications all this has for Arctic regional security and governance more generally and for Norwegian security and foreign policy more specifically.
Finansiering
Ministry of Defense
