China's Arctic policy on the basis of international law: Identification, goals, principles and positions

Abstract

China's Arctic policy attracts highly attention worldwide, especially on how China views the current legal framework of the Arctic, how China defines its role, interests and priorities in the Arctic and how China engages in the Arctic international governance. The aim of this paper is, through analyzing China's first white paper on Arctic policy from the perspective of international law, to provide a comprehensive overview of China's perceptions on the legal status and framework of the Arctic, China's identification, policy goals, basic principles, policies and positions as well as practices relating to its participation in Arctic affairs. It concludes with two distinct characteristics of China's Arctic Policy.