Hudson Institute Senior Fellow Liselotte Odgaard stated that China is supporting Russia’s military stance in the Arctic region, posing a threat to NATO. Odgaard shared her statement in an August 5 commentary.
"Instead of direct participation in Arctic militarization efforts likely to increase the number of security challenges China is facing, it has a major interest in investing economically and technologically in Russia's Arctic region," said Odgaard. "Russian-Chinese Arctic cooperation benefits China economically and helps to ensure that Russia continues to pose a hard power threat to the United States and its Arctic allies. This strategy aims at taking some of the heat off Beijing's numerous security challenges closer to home and profit from cooperating with Moscow on resource extraction and infrastructure development."
According to Odgaard's commentary, the Arctic region has been growing in strategic economic and military importance, but NATO Arctic member states are often restricted by their limited defense budgets. The 2024 U.S. Department of Defense Arctic Strategy recognizes a need for increased monitoring and deterrence against Russia and China and more cooperation between NATO Arctic members and allies.
According to RAND, China has had growing interest and activities in the Arctic due to its resource abundance and strategic location. Researchers at RAND and the Swedish Defense Research Agency examined China's operations in the Arctic and concluded that they have only made limited inroads within the region. China claims it is a "near-Arctic state," which is a claim designed to push for more Arctic governance.
According to a U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) press release from July, the U.S. military has been working towards implementing an Arctic military strategy. The DoD said Russia "is an obvious competitor" but also calls China a player. Amanda Dory, the acting undersecretary of defense for policy, said, "The People's Republic of China … seeks increased access and influence in the region and leverages the changing Arctic dynamics to take advantage of Arctic resources and to seek a larger role in regional governance." She also noted, "Russia's Arctic military capabilities have the potential to hold the U.S. homeland, as well as allied and partner territories, at risk."
According to a NATO press release from October, Admiral Bauer, Chair of the NATO Military Committee, said "[the] Arctic remains essential to NATO’s Deterrence and Defence Posture." He added, "We cannot be naïve and ignore the potentially nefarious intentions of some actors in the region. We must remain vigilant and prepare for the unexpected." Additionally, Bauer emphasized that "In the last decade, the growing importance of the Arctic has been undeniable, especially due to its natural resources, maritime potential and strategic location."
Odgaard is a nonresident senior fellow at the Hudson Institute who focuses on U.S.-China-Europe relations. She is also a professor at the Norwegian Institute for Defense Studies in Oslo and has been a visiting scholar at institutions including Harvard University, the Norwegian Nobel Institute, and the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.
