On September 22, 2026, the Chinese language website of Radio France Internationale (RFI), a French international broadcasting service, published an article titled "Arctic Glacier Melt: China Claims to be a Victim While Also Being a Beneficiary."

The more the Arctic Ocean ice melts, the more new shipping routes are emerging. Jean-Yves Hürthibise (Chinese name: 何重誼), an associate professor at Taiwan's National Sun Yat-sen University, pointed out in an op-ed for the French newspaper Le Monde that while China bears significant responsibility for global warming and the melting of Arctic sea ice, it positions itself as a "victim" of warming. He then discussed China's dual position, arguing that it could also become a "beneficiary" by gaining economic and strategic advantages from the Arctic routes, which become more accessible due to warming.

Despite being one of the world's leading emitters of carbon dioxide (CO2), China is actively utilizing new Arctic Ocean routes that are opening up due to global warming. Under the "Ice Silk Road" initiative, it is working to secure new trade routes. On the 21st, the French newspaper Le Monde published Hürthibise's op-ed, which analyzed this contradictory position.

Great Strategic Significance for China

According to the article, in recent years, Chinese cargo ships have repeatedly conducted trial voyages on routes from China to Europe via the Arctic Ocean.

In 2025, a Chinese container ship departed from Ningbo-Zhoushan Port and reached Felixstowe Port in the UK in just 20 days. Following this result, shipping companies have begun to consider launching regular container shipping services between China and Europe via the Arctic.

Furthermore, in 2026, another Chinese cargo ship departed from Qingdao and arrived at Teesport in northeast England via the Arctic Ocean in 25 days.

The Arctic route's shipping capacity is still extremely limited at present and is susceptible to weather conditions. Nevertheless, compared to the conventional Suez Canal route (approximately 40 days) and the Cape of Good Hope route (approximately 50 days), it holds the potential to significantly shorten transit times.

Additionally, using the Suez Canal requires passing through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, where the influence of the Iran-backed Houthi rebels is strong, posing security risks.

Given these circumstances, the "Ice Silk Road" holds extremely significant strategic importance for China. If the Arctic route reaches a stage where it can be operated stably, China will gain a new major trade artery connecting Asia and Europe.

China's Unique "Privilege" Regarding the Arctic Route

China is not the only country moving on the Arctic route. In early July, South Korea also announced the start of a demonstration project, aiming to establish a future permanent Arctic shipping route connecting Busan and Europe.

However, China possesses a strength that other Asian countries do not: a unique "privilege" it enjoys in accessing the Arctic route.

The Arctic route has unique circumstances. Since it requires sailing along Russia's northern coast, coordination with the Putin administration is essential for its permanent use.

China and Russia signed the Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation in 2001, and the treaty was successively renewed in 2021 and 2026. In early 2022, just a month before Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the two countries proclaimed their so-called "friendship without limits."

Given these circumstances, the article points out that it is unlikely China will weaken its support for Russia regarding the war in Ukraine. The existence of the Arctic route further enhances the importance of China-Russia relations. Simultaneously, Greenland remaining within the European framework is also said to hold very significant meaning for China.

However, current Arctic shipping still faces many challenges. Special reinforced vessels are indispensable to cope with the harsh environment of the Arctic Circle, navigation risks are high, and insurance premiums tend to be expensive. The "Ice Silk Road," at present, has not yet reached an established stage in terms of economic viability or technical reliability.

In fact, the French shipping giant CMA CGM has announced a policy not to use this route itself, citing that environmental costs and ecological impacts cannot be ignored.

However, Hürthibise points out that the situation is different for China. He suggests that if the Chinese Communist Party determines that a certain project offers an asymmetrical advantage over other countries in geopolitical and economic terms, it is likely to continue funding it, even if it entails long-term losses or high costs.

According to Hürthibise, this approach, in a sense, characterizes the policies of the Chinese Communist Party, described as a combination of authoritarianism and mercantilism. He states that the management policy surrounding rare earth resources is a typical example.

Is China a "Victim" or a "Beneficiary"?

Hürthibise's analysis raises an even more fundamental question.

China is one of the world's largest emitters of greenhouse gases, and its emissions have accelerated global warming and impacted ice melt in polar regions. Despite this, China positions itself as a "victim." Yet, at the same time, China is steadily advancing the development of new Arctic trade routes that will only become navigable and economically viable as global warming continues to progress.

In January 2018, China positioned itself as a "near-Arctic state," citing reasons such as being a "victim" of climate change in the Arctic region, and claimed the right to participate in Arctic affairs and engage in the "rational protection and utilization of the Arctic."

However, China is currently also on the receiving end, actually benefiting from the melting of Arctic sea ice due to global warming. Hürthibise concluded that this is where the "Ice Silk Road" reveals a complex interplay of economic interests, environmental responsibility, and geopolitics. (Translation/Editing: Koun)