China is the newest comer in the Arctic, a critically important region for the next battle on resources. By 2050, most of the Arctic ice would have melted and there would be opportunities for countries to explore the hidden treasures of this virgin region.
The U.S. Geological Survey stated that around 30 percent of the world’s undiscovered gas and oil reserves are waiting to be found inside the Arctic Circle. So it’s no surprise that China and other superpowers like the United States and Russia want to gain control over it.
The budding conflict in the north is perceived by experts to be the next “cold war” not just because of the cold climate in the Arctic; rather, like the cold war, super powers would have to choose sides and rely on their allies to get an advantage in the battle for resources.
Currently, China’s ally in the Arctic region is Iceland. The arctic state is happy to have a powerful friend like China and has agreed to have joint projects with the super power.
In a remote valley near the Arctic Circle, a research facility is being built to study Iceland’s colorful wintry sky known as Northern Lights.
This research facility is funded by China’s Polar Research Institute. Scientists hope that it will help them learn about the interaction between the sun and the Earth’s magnetic field, which could help predict space weather.
The building of the facility is behind schedule but the developers hope that it would open next year and house Chinese, Icelandic, and international scientists.
Aside from the research facility, China and Iceland are also planning for other joint projects like making a deep-sea port in a northern Iceland fjord to create a major shipping hub on the Northern Sea Route.
The port will be beneficial to China and Iceland because when the arctic ice melts, a wider Northern Sea Route would be opened and the region would be the new center for trade between Europe and Asia.
The port has not been built yet but the relationship between the two countries remains strong. China is hopeful to maintain this relationship since some Icelanders think that the Asian superpower might abuse their natural resources.
Without an ally like in the Arctic, China would have no power in the region in comparison with other powerful countries like U.S., Canada, and Norway who have legal territorial claims on the north.