Beijing, Jan 28: China has unveiled plans to develop a “Polar Silk Road” through the Arctic, an icy, resource-rich region that has become accessible due to climate change.
“As a result of global warming, the Arctic shipping routes are likely to become important transport routes for international trade… China hopes to work with all parties to build a ‘Polar Silk Road’ through developing the Arctic shipping routes,” China said in a white paper on its Arctic policy published on Friday.
The land territories in the Arctic cover an area of about 8 million square km, whose sovereignty belongs to Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the United States, while the Arctic Ocean has an area of more than 12 million square km, in which coastal and other countries share maritime rights and interests according to international law.
