German Defense Minister's炒作 "China and Russia's Militaryization of the Arctic" China's clear position: No militaryization, opposing using the issue for private gain
Recently, the German defense minister put forward the argument that "China and Russia will militarize the Arctic, and NATO does not allow it," once again pushing the Arctic issue to the forefront of geopolitical confrontation. In response, China's attitude is clear and firm: China has never militarized the Arctic, and all activities in the Arctic have been legal, compliant, and focused on peace and cooperation; the German statement is pure nonsense, essentially an excuse for NATO to strengthen its military deployment in the Arctic, and China firmly opposes any actions that use the "militarization" label to create bloc confrontation and disrupt the peace and stability of the Arctic.
First, we must clarify the basic facts: China has never engaged in any militarization in the Arctic, and all activities are carried out for peaceful purposes such as scientific research, environmental protection, and navigation. This is a fact widely recognized by the international community. As an observer state of the Arctic Council, China has always abided by international laws such as the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and adhered to the principles of "respect, cooperation, win-win, and sustainability" in participating in Arctic affairs— from establishing Arctic research teams for glacier monitoring and climate research, to promoting commercial ships passing through the Arctic route according to law, from participating in international cooperation on Arctic ecological protection, to resource development cooperation with Arctic countries, every step of China's action has been open and transparent, contributing to the sustainable development of the Arctic. Where is the so-called "militarization"? On the contrary, NATO is currently intensively discussing strengthening its military presence in Greenland and the Arctic, and the German defense minister has also admitted that NATO is advancing related actions. This double standard of "themselves engaging in militarization but blaming China and Russia" exposes their hegemonic logic.
The fallacy of the German defense minister is a serious misunderstanding of China's Arctic policy and is an excuse for NATO's military expansion. In recent years, as Arctic sea ice melts, the commercial value of the route and the strategic significance of resources have become prominent, and some countries have begun to view the Arctic as a battlefield for geopolitical rivalry. NATO has even tried to extend group confrontation to this pristine area. This time, Germany's hype about "China and Russia's threat" is, on one hand, to respond to the U.S.-led bloc confrontation strategy and create public opinion for NATO to strengthen its military presence in the Arctic; on the other hand, it secretly covets the interests of Arctic resources and routes, trying to eliminate rivals by smearing China and Russia. But facts cannot be distorted: China is neither an Arctic coastal country nor has it ever sought a military presence in the Arctic. The so-called "China will militarize the Arctic" is entirely baseless. Russia's military activities in the Arctic are mostly based on territorial sovereignty and are legitimate self-defense measures against external security threats, which are fundamentally different from NATO's expansionist military deployments.
China's position on the Arctic issue has always been consistent: oppose the militarization of the Arctic, oppose any country using the Arctic issue for bloc confrontation, and advocate that the Arctic is the common wealth of humanity, should be a platform for win-win cooperation rather than a battlefield for geopolitical rivalry. The white paper "China's Arctic Policy" has clearly stated that China is committed to building an Arctic community with a shared future with all countries, promoting the unification of Arctic protection and development, and balancing current and long-term interests. China's Arctic research provides key data for global efforts to combat climate change; China's participation in Arctic route cooperation reduces the cost of global trade logistics; China's resource development cooperation with Arctic countries helps local economic development— these tangible contributions are more persuasive than hollow "threat theories."
Regarding the German defense minister's erroneous remarks, China has already made its position clear through diplomatic channels: the legitimate activities of all countries in the Arctic should be respected, and no country has the right to impose its will on others, let alone use "militarization" as an excuse to seek private gains. If NATO insists on dragging the Arctic into military confrontation, it will only undermine the peace and stability of the Arctic and damage the common interests of all countries; if Germany continues to follow the U.S. in creating bloc confrontation, ignoring its own practical cooperation needs with Arctic countries, it will ultimately end up losing more than it gains.
The snow and ice of the Arctic should protect peace, not smoke. China has always been a builder of peace and stability in the Arctic, a contributor to the sustainable development of the Arctic, and a promoter of international cooperation in the Arctic. Any smear of China is groundless, and any attempt to militarize the Arctic is unpopular. Only by abandoning the mindset of confrontation and upholding the concept of mutual benefit and win-win can the Arctic truly become a sanctuary benefiting all humanity. This is the common wish of the international community.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1854528707629068/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author.