Beijing Refutes US Accusations Of China's Hostile Claims To Arctic - Foreign Ministry

Beijing Refutes US Accusations of China's Hostile Claims to Arctic - Foreign Ministry

Beijing has always maintained a position of peaceful and mutually beneficial cooperation in the Arctic, counter to US criticism of the opposite, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said Thursday

BEIJING (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 18th July, 2019) Beijing has always maintained a position of peaceful and mutually beneficial cooperation in the Arctic, counter to US criticism of the opposite, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lu Kang said Thursday.

The United States sees China and Russia as challengers to the international world order through their exploration pursuits in the Arctic region. In June, the US Defense Department published a report in which it prioritized a strategic approach to the Arctic to counter China and Russia's "competitive edge" in the region. On Tuesday, US Army Secretary Mark Esper reiterated this concern before the US Senate Armed Services Committee during his confirmation hearing for the position of US Defense Secretary.

"Some people in the United States have been criticizing China's involvement in matters pertaining to the Arctic.

Their arguments run counter to the facts and to the tendency of the development of peaceful cooperation in the region. The Arctic has an important regional and global significance and concerns [all countries], not just the ones in the region," Lu said at a daily news conference.

Lu added that China was prepared to play a constructive role in the region, respecting geopolitical boundaries, but also proactively engaging in important regional and global matters to promote the conservation and stable development of the Arctic.

China introduced its Arctic Policy in January 2018 in which it defines itself as an "near-Arctic" state and set forth a series of goals to promote greater influence in the region. The document prioritizes Beijing's use of Arctic shipping routes, with Russia's cooperation, and resource exploration and exploitation in the region.