The Polar Silk Road

Investment Analysis Clubs Macro Economic Trends and Risks
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Chinese, Russian, PRNK collusion is globally macro economic.

Here’s a 2018 (pre 2022) CSIS article.

China Launches the Polar Silk Road

{ Newsletter by Jane Nakano and William Li

Published February 2, 2018

Energy Fact & Opinion

Facts
On January 28, 2018, China’s State Council Information Office released a white paper detailing the country’s official Arctic policy for the first time.
The document plotted the course for future Chinese development goals in the region—including scientific, commercial, environmental preservation, and resource extraction efforts—and aligned Chinese Arctic interests with the Belt and Road Initiative.

Chinese companies are encouraged to invest in building infrastructure along the routes and conduct commercial trial voyages to gauge feasibility.

In 2017, the research vessel Xue Long became the first Chinese ship to navigate the three major Arctic shipping routes: The Northwest Passage, Northeast Passage, and Transpolar Sea Route.

The white paper emphasizes “peaceful utilization” of the Arctic and supports settlement of territorial and maritime rights disputes under established multinational treaties such as the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

While Chinese borders do not extend to the Arctic, China is one of 13 “observers” to the Arctic Council and has become increasingly active in the region. It obtained permanent observer status in 2013 after five years of courting member states and two failed attempts. Observership accorded China the ability to attend all council meetings and participate in workshops. }

Since 2018, Russia invaded Ukraine, and now is reportedly facing shortages of war supplies.
China is reportedly a major source of supplies, but is playing the long game.

Artic “trade routes” have been touted for decades due to potential for “economic transport n shipping”.

This Nov 2025 YT by Business Basics (biased to Ukraine side) explains how China n PRNK are exploiting Russian weakness.

Fascinating.
According to the YT, Putin is signing leases with Chinese companies (state owned? Is not mentioned) in return for Chinese n PRNK support.

China is using Western “legal structures” to cement control of resources, including development of its Polar Silk Road goals.

:pea_pod:
ralph

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A big part in keeping these northern sea lanes open is Russia’s fleet of nuclear powered icebreakers. Two recent articles below…

From the link:

The Istanbul Bridge, carrying 25,000 tonnes of cargo containers, left China’s Ningbo port on 23 September, entering the Northern Sea Route on 1 October. The complete journey took 20 days, which Rosatom says is half the time of using traditional southern sea routes.

And:

Vladimir Panov, Special Representative for Arctic Development at Rosatom, said: "The Northern Sea Route is developing rapidly, becoming a viable and efficient global logistics route. This is facilitated by various factors, including the development of advanced technologies, the construction of new-generation nuclear icebreakers, and growing interest from international shippers.

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Speaking at the 6th International Arctic Forum, Likhachev said: “The volume of cargo has already amounted to tens of millions of tonnes with last year’s record of nearly 38 million tonnes. Our northern deposits developers tell us to be prepared for hundreds of millions of tonnes … now we need 11 icebreakers, which we already have (including eight nuclear icebreakers). We must move on to the next stage and plan 100 and 150 million tonnes and 15 to 17 icebreakers instead of 10 or 11. Therefore, we must construct them.”

And:

The Project 22220 vessels are 173 metres long, 34 metres wide and with a height from the waterline to the mainmast of 57 metres. They are designed to break through ice up to three metres thick and have a speed of 22 knots in clear water. The RITM-200 is a pressurised water reactor with a thermal capacity of 175 MW, which converts to 30 MW at the propellers.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Break through ice up to 3 meters thick!

_ Pete

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I have been saying this is why Trump is so hot to annex Canada and Greenland.

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