China on a New Model of Arctic Governance

In China, Arctic governance is understood as a complex geopolitical and geo-economic phenomenon related to the process of decision-making and coordination of actions aimed at managing development, environmental protection and security in the Arctic region; it is regarded as an important part of global governance. Over the years, China has accumulated practical experience in participating in Arctic governance, while simultaneously focusing on its scientific and theoretical reflection, on the basis of which Chinese scholars and experts have developed their own vision of an Arctic governance model. This took place against the backdrop of the emergence of new doctrinal guidelines on the role of China’s participation in global governance, in particular the concept of a “community with a shared future for mankind” and the White Paper on China’s Arctic Policy. This, in turn, made it possible to construct a framework of theoretical argumentation for the protection of China’s national interests in the Arctic, on the basis of which China’s participation in Arctic governance developed. In the course of its participation in Arctic governance, China will inevitably face traditional mistrust towards it as a non-Arctic state; in these circumstances, and in order to strengthen its position, the country needs to develop interaction and cooperation with Russia in the Arctic region.