The North Atlantic Alliance is concerned about China’s goals in the Arctic, given the country’s increasingly close ties with Russia, Admiral Rob Bauer, chairman of NATO’s military committee, said in an interview with Bloomberg. Bauer also urged the alliance to be prepared for conflict in the region.
NATO is concerned about China’s goals in the Arctic, given its ongoing cooperation with Russia and the numerous Chinese ships travelling through the Northern Sea Route, Admiral Rob Bauer, chairman of the alliance’s military committee, said in an interview with Bloomberg in Reykjavik. He said the alliance worries that the country’s commercial and scientific interests could be a precursor to a Chinese military presence in the Arctic region.
Bauer noted that Chinese ships travelling along the Northern Sea Route carry military scientists, and China itself has never ruled out a presence in the Arctic. The admiral pointed to the growing co-operation between Russia and China, including in the fields of energy and logistics, and urged NATO to be prepared for conflict in the region.
Earlier, while attending the Polar Circle Assembly in Reykjavik, he also expressed concern about the strengthening Russian-Chinese ties. Bauer said that while Russia’s intentions in the Arctic are becoming increasingly clear, “China’s intentions for the region remain opaque.”
“We cannot be naive and expect these new routes to be used exclusively by commercial vessels,” the admiral warned.
In his speech to the conference, China’s special representative for Arctic affairs, Gao Feng, did not directly address Bauer’s remarks, but warned that tensions in the Arctic would not only hamper cooperation but also affect global stability. “China and other Asian countries can play an important role in the defence, research, development and management of the Arctic,” Gao Feng added.
Bauer also warned that Russia is investing heavily in Arctic airbases and other infrastructure. The chairman of NATO’s military committee said the alliance should be prepared for conflict in the region, given Russia’s capabilities. Nevertheless, NATO is not worried that the Arctic will “immediately” become a hot spot.