New US Arctic strategy highlights China-Russia cooperation and means to ‘restore international order’

Russia and China are increasingly cooperating in the Arctic, which could affect regional stability, the U.S. military has said. The comments were made by Pentagon policy analyst Kathleen Hicks as the U.S. Department of Defense* released its Arctic strategy for 2024 on July 22. The Pentagon report said the increased cooperation between Russia and China and the “growing alignment in the region” were concerning. Russia has been beefing up its military presence in the Arctic in recent years, reopening bases and airfields abandoned since the end of the Soviet era. China, which describes itself as a “near-Arctic” state, has poured money into polar research and exploration. China has its eyes on mineral resources and new shipping routes as ice sheets retreat amid rising temperatures, analysts say.

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