FT: China expands Arctic ambitions with new icebreaker plan

In a recent article, the Financial Times examines China’s accelerating push into the Arctic, framing it as both an economic opportunity and a geopolitical gambit unfolding amid rising great-power tensions.

The piece notes that China is stepping up its ambitions in the Arctic with the unveiling of a powerful new icebreaker design, highlighting Beijing’s growing interest in a region increasingly shaped by geopolitical rivalry and climate change.

The proposed nuclear-powered vessel, revealed in December as a conceptual prototype, would be capable of breaking through ice up to 2.5 meters thick. Designed by China’s state-run 708 Research Institute, the ship is described as a “multirole” cargo and polar tourism vessel and is intended to serve as a model for a future fleet of Chinese polar ships.

While Beijing publicly frames its Arctic activities around trade, scientific research and tourism, analysts quoted by the Financial Times say the program likely carries dual civilian and military purposes. China has expanded research operations in the region, opened stations in Norway’s Svalbard archipelago and Iceland, and deepened energy and infrastructure co-operation with Russia in the Arctic.

The Arctic’s melting ice has opened the possibility of shorter shipping routes between Asia and Europe. Chinese researchers say the Northern Sea Route through Russian waters can reduce voyage distances by up to 40% compared with the Suez Canal. China recently touted a container voyage from eastern China to the UK via the Arctic as the launch of a new “China-Europe Arctic Express.”

The article notes that China’s expanding footprint has raised concern in Washington and European capitals. The US has committed $9 billion to strengthen its polar capabilities, and tensions over Greenland have intensified debate about control of the region.

Despite worries about militarisation, some experts cited in the report say China appears focused on building a long-term presence rather than overt military deployment. So far, there have been no confirmed Chinese military vessels operating in the central Arctic Ocean.

By Tamilla Hasanova