Introduction: The Rise of Asian State Actors in the Arctic

Introduction:The Rise of Asian State Actors in the Arctic Angela Wang (bio) Traditionally an isolated and low-tension region, the Arctic is known for its extraordinary beauty and pristine wilderness. The region is recognized as one of the last resource-rich frontiers—it holds 22% of the world's oil and natural gas resources, is home to more than 21,000 known species, and contains two commercially viable shipping routes that could potentially reshape the future of international trade.1 As the sea ice over the central Arctic Ocean has long kept the region inaccessible, Arctic affairs have customarily been prioritized on the policy agendas of only the eight Arctic states—Canada, Denmark (via Greenland), Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, and the United States. However, this situation has begun to change in recent decades as the region becomes more accessible due to climate change, ecological degradation, and a consequent rise in economic and geostrategic opportunities. The Arctic is now a new frontier that has piqued the interest of international actors, especially ones from the Asia-Pacific region. In 2013, at the Kiruna Ministerial Meeting in Sweden, the Arctic Council granted China, Japan, India, South Korea, and Singapore the status of observer states.2 The Arctic Council is a critical governmental forum for Arctic cooperation with decisions made by the eight Arctic nations and the permanent participants.3 Although observer members are limited to observation of the work of the council and involvement in specific working groups, prior to the Kiruna decision the council's observer states only comprised European countries. The admission of these Asian observers was [End Page 5] a pivotal moment, as it signifies Asian states' increased interest in the Arctic and that the circumpolar Arctic is no longer isolated, as globalization and international cooperation in the region have become ever more evident. Since their admission, China, Japan, South Korea, and Singapore have emerged in particular from being peripheral to active members in Arctic affairs. Off to a flying start, these four non-Arctic Asian states have deployed scientific diplomacy and engaged in climate, environmental, shipping, energy, and fishing research to pave their way into Arctic affairs and find their niche. Understanding the Arctic's increased accessibility and the world's rising energy demand, China, Japan, and South Korea have also published their own Arctic policy frameworks, expanding their Arctic ambitions in economic domains. China has pushed to construct a "Polar Silk Road" in the Arctic Ocean to increase global trade and stimulate the nation's economic growth, while Japan and South Korea were heavily invested in different Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects in the Arctic prior to Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Perceptions of the Arctic States Despite Asian newcomers' keen regional engagement and interest, the Arctic states have always been cautious and vigilant for any signs of non-Arctic presence. Especially as the eight Arctic states already have unresolved disputes over territory, maritime delimitation, and exclusive economic zones, the presence of new actors in the circumpolar region could add a layer of complexity to the region's security, development, and governance. As a result, Asian states' engagement in the high north has been under scrutiny ever since their application to become observers in the Arctic Council. For example, during the application process, the Arctic Council set up the recognition of "sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction" of the Arctic states as a new application criterion.4 Russia and Canada also contended that the Arctic region should not be "internationalized" and were hesitant to grant China, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and India observer status in 2013.5 China's self-proclaimed "near Arctic state" identity remains a further contested topic that provokes mixed feelings from different Arctic nations. [End Page 6] Despite the frenzy over admission of the Asian observers to the Artic Council, Canada and the United States have rarely interacted with these newcomers since their admission. Unlike the European Arctic states—Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, and Sweden—that have cultivated robust economic and scientific ties with the Asian Arctic newcomers, Canada's and the United States' diplomatic engagement on northern affairs has been restricted to other Arctic states. The two North...

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