Russia and China Racing to the Arctic

The Pentagon is concerned by Russia’s and China’s drive to control the Arctic region, the Telegraph reported on Thursday.

A senior Department of Defense official spoke at the Center for Strategic and International Studies on Thursday, warning of the growing threat of Chinese-Russian cooperation in the Arctic.

We really just need to be clear-eyed about some of their intentions and … thinking about their long-term interests and how we can best protect ours.

The strategic interests that they have in the region are … giving us pause. How their long-term vision for the region could affect our interests is giving us pause.
—Iris Ferguson, deputy assistant secretary of defense for Arctic and Global Resilience

This is not the first time the United States has recognized the looming threat from the East. Just after the Pentagon report published in July, Russia and China conducted a joint nuclear-capable bomber patrol off the coast of Alaska.

Untapped potential: The primary attraction of the Arctic is its plentiful reserves of valuable natural resources, including oil, gas and precious minerals. China and Russia are eager to obtain these prized resources.

An assessment by the U.S. Geological Survey found that:

• the Arctic holds an estimated 90 billion barrels of untouched oil resources;
• the Arctic contains 30 percent of the Earth’s untapped conventional natural gas resources.

As thawing ice and improving technology bring the Arctic region increasingly into play, a new trade route is opening, which Russia and China are working to dominate.

Prophetic perspective: The Bible prophesies of an immense Asian alliance, headed by Russia and China, that will dominate the world’s maritime trade. The U.S. may recognize the threat in the Arctic, but it will not remove Russia and China from the region.

Learn more: Read “The Battle for the Arctic.”