US admiral warns of risk of ‘bogus’ Chinese claims in Arctic

American navy commander says Nato allies must defend their interests in the polar region as Beijing eyes investment opportunities there

But dialogue also needed to ward off ‘miscalculations’, he says

Reading Time:3 minutes

China says its interests in the Arctic will be mostly linked to commerce and environmental protection. Photo: AP/Xinhua

Published: 9:00pm, 28 Jun 2020Updated: 10:02am, 29 Jun 2020

The United States and its Nato allies should maintain close ties to defend their interests in the resource-rich Arctic as China extends its reach around the world, according to a US naval commander.

In an online seminar hosted by London-based think tank the International Institute for Strategic Studies on Thursday, Admiral James Foggo, commander of US Naval Forces Europe-Africa, said China was “increasingly seeking to exploit the Arctic”, and its activities in the region – as well as in Africa and Europe – posed security concerns for the US and other members of the transatlantic security alliance.

“China has even labelled itself as a ‘near Arctic country’,” Foggo said.

“They’re eyeing investment opportunities that range from natural resource exploration to the future commercial maritime traffic potential of the ‘Polar Silk Road’,” he said, referring to Beijing’s ambition to extend President Xi Jinping’s signature Belt and Road Initiative to the Arctic by developing shipping lanes opened up by global warming.

Beijing has said its interests in the Arctic would be mostly linked to commerce and environmental protection, but Foggo said the area could become the focus of “bogus claims”.

“With China having its own precedent for making bogus claims over international waterways in the South China Sea, it’s possible that China will also seek to bend the rules in their favour in the Arctic,” he said.

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