China-Russia Arctic and Maritime Cooperation

"It is necessary to establish a regional maritime security forum led by China and Russia, modelled after the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation."

Today’s edition opens with an introduction by Patrik Andersson, an analyst at the Swedish National China Centre, Swedish Institute of International Affairs. Patrik specialises in China's involvement in the Arctic. His latest report, "Sino-Russian cooperation in the Arctic: Implications for Nordic countries and recommended policy responses", is available here. – Thomas

Chinese leaders frequently discuss the world undergoing “great changes unseen in a century”. Similarly, Yang Zhen and Ren Yanyan argue in the following article that the international maritime order is experiencing structural shifts, with governance norms in the “global commons” eroding. They see this as an opportunity for China and Russia to enhance maritime cooperation, counterbalancing what they describe as US maritime hegemony. The authors advocate for a fairer global maritime governance system, exemplified by the concept of a “maritime community with a shared future”, which is the maritime component of Xi Jinping’s fr…