Containment and hedging: the U.S. strategic perspective on China’s Polar Silk Road Initiative

Abstract

The U.S. strategic community views China’s Polar Silk Road Initiative as a geopolitical maneuver, linking China’s Arctic activities with goals of geopolitical control, resource plundering, security threats, and potential debt traps. In response, the U.S. strategic community emphasizes containment and hedging, using diplomatic, military, and economic measures to limit China’s presence while selectively cooperating in areas such as climate research and environmental protection. However, China’s activities focus on multilateral governance, sustainable economic cooperation, and scientific research, challenging the prevailing perceptions held by the U.S. strategic community. The U.S. strategic community’s negative perceptions of the Polar Silk Road Initiative have constrained China’s diplomatic discourse power, security stance, and economic activities in the Arctic, complicating its regional partnerships. To address these challenges, China could reinforce its contributions to Arctic governance through multilateral cooperation, particularly in climate monitoring, environmental protection, and clean energy initiatives. By engaging in joint research, academic exchanges, and corporate collaboration, China could foster greater understanding and mitigate skepticism from the U.S. and other Arctic countries, thereby strengthening the basis of cooperation and stability in Arctic governance.