Polar Silk Roads Research Articles

Three-Dimensional Dynamic Visualization of Coastal Zones for Sea-land Integration

Ai, B.; Xia, Y.; Li, Z.; Yang, F., and Ji, M., 2020. Three-dimensional dynamic visualization of coastal zones for sea-land integration. In: Zheng, C.W.; Wang, Q.; Zhan, C., and Yang, S.B. (eds.), Air-Sea Interaction and Coastal Environments of the Maritime and Polar Silk Roads. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 99, pp. 85-91. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.The three-dimensional visualization of coastal zones for sea-land integration faces difficulties such as multisource terrain data fusion, tidal dynamic changes, and sea surface simulation. This paper proposes a method to convert the depth reference of water depth data into the 1985 national elevation benchmarks, which integrates multisource sea-land terrain data by vertical datums, converts rectangular coordinates and establishes a digital elevation model for sea-land terrain integration. Based on the dynamic characteristics of the sea surface with tides, this paper calculates the tidal level of the nearshore tide station using numerical tidal harmonic analysis and a prediction model. The dynamic sea surface height field away from the mainland is established by inverse distance weighted spatial interpolation. The paper simulates the sea surface by Phillips spectrum analysis and fast Fourier transform and achieves dynamic effects for the sea surface by concave-convex mapping and wave mapping, enhancing the reality of dynamic sea surface expression. In addition, this paper designs and develops the Coastal Zone Terrain Three-Dimensional Dynamic Visualization System, which realizes functions such as sea-land integrated three-dimensional terrain roaming, sea surface simulation visualization and the automatic generation of instantaneous coastlines at any time.

Uncertain Effects of Linear Internal Waves on Convergence Zone Propagation in Deep Water

Zhang, L.; Chen, W., and Liu, D., 2020. Uncertain effects of linear internal waves on convergence zone propagation in deep water. In: Zheng, C.W.; Wang, Q.; Zhan, C., and Yang, S.B. (eds.), Air-Sea Interaction and Coastal Environments of the Maritime and Polar Silk Roads. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 99, pp. 296–309. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.The use of the convergence zone effect is an important means of underwater long-range target detection. Many uncertain factors (ocean fronts, ocean eddies, etc.) can lead to uncertainties of the sound field in the convergence zone. Linear internal waves are usually produced in the deep ocean, causing fluctuations of the sound velocity which are otherwise stable. Over long distances, linear internal waves will have a great influence on the propagation of sound waves. In this paper, a model of sound velocity fluctuation caused by linear internal waves is established, and the sound velocity field within a certain depth and distance range is obtained. The transmission loss is calculated using the ray mode parabolic equation underwater sound propagation model. The Monte Carlo method is then used to simulate the uncertainty of the sound field in the generated convergence zone. The results shows that the loss of sound propagation varies greatly when an internal wave propagates through the convergence zone. The uncertainty of the sound field in different convergence zones varies, and the uncertainty of the sound field increases with convergence zone range.

Research on the Coupling and Coordinated Development of Marine Technological Innovation and Marine Ecological Economic Development

Wang, Y.; Deng, Q., and Zhang, Y., 2020. Research on the coupling and coordinated development of marine technological innovation and marine ecological economic development. In: Zheng, C.W.; Wang, Q.; Zhan, C., and Yang, S.B. (eds.), Air-Sea Interaction and Coastal Environments of the Maritime and Polar Silk Roads. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 99, pp. 419–427. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.The development of modern marine ecological economy relies heavily on scientific and technological progress. The level of development of marine scientific and technological innovation capabilities can to some extent reflect the level of marine ecological economic development in a certain region and future innovation directions and space. Fujian Province is selected as the research object to construct an evaluation index system for marine technological innovation capabilities and marine ecological economic development. Based on the sample of Fujian marine technological innovation capabilities and marine ecological economic data from 2007 to 2016, a coupling model is established to calculate the coupling coordinated development status and changing trend of marine technological innovation ability and ecological economy. The results show that the coordination of marine technological innovation and marine ecological economic development in Fujian has gradually improved in the past decade, marine technological innovation provides growth momentum for marine ecological economic development, marine ecological economic development provides basic guarantee for marine technological innovation. Through the joint development of the two, the coordination degree of the two is improved, and the healthy and sustainable development of marine economy is promoted.

Implementing Marine Gravimetry Test Using Strapdown Gravimeter in the South China Sea

Yu, R.; Xu, X.; Zhao, L.; Wang, M.; Cai, S.; Cao, J.; Wu, M., and Lu, S., 2020. Implementing marine gravimetry test using strapdown gravimeter in the South China Sea. In: Zheng, C.W.; Wang, Q.; Zhan, C., and Yang, S.B. (eds.), Air-Sea Interaction and Coastal Environments of the Maritime and Polar Silk Roads. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 99, pp. 382–388. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.As one of the major kinematic ways for surveying purpose in the sea region, shipborne marine gravimetry is important to get high accuracy and resolution gravity information. Until today, after decades of development and innovation, marine gravimetry is still a main and important mean of obtaining gravity data from the vast ocean areas. Based on the former generation gravimeter, SGA-WZ02 designed by NUDT has a further development. With this gravimeter, a marine test in the South China Sea was implemented for 40 days. The purpose was assessing feasibility and accuracy of this gravimeter for marine gravimetry. Surveying region was near the Xidutan area and the East Island in the South China Sea and total area of the measuring region is about 442.55 km2 with a total of 884.7 km surveying distance. In this test, 15 east-west parallel lines separated by 1 km and 2 north-south inspection lines were measured. The average line distance is 14 km and the speed is about 10 kn. Since there were no repeated measurement lines, this paper used cross over differences among 17 lines to evaluate the performance. In marine gravity measurement experiments, it is particularly important to use GNSS precision point positioning (PPP) technology to measure the accurate position and velocity information of the carrier. Totally, 30 cross over points were obtained in the test and the average value of these points is -0.42 mGal using 300 s FIR filters which means the resolution was about 750 m. The root mean square value is 0.64 mGal that the result was at the same level of accuracy as the current mainstream marine gravimeters. It indicates that the SGA-WZ02 strapdown gravimeter can be used for marine gravimetry applications in geodesy and geophysical survey activities.

Response of Sea Surface Heat Flux to the Kuroshio Extension Ocean Front for Different Background Wind Fields

Zhang, J.; Li, C., and Luo, X., 2020. Response of sea surface heat flux to the Kuroshio Extension ocean front for different background wind fields. In: Zheng, C.W.; Wang, Q.; Zhan, C., and Yang, S.B. (eds.), Air-Sea Interaction and Coastal Environments of the Maritime and Polar Silk Roads. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 99, pp. 332–339. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.The different sensible heat fluxes across KEF (Kuroshio Extension front) is the main reason for the formation of baroclinicity in lower atmosphere in northwest Pacific. In this study, several sets of numerical experiments are performed to study the similarities and differences in sensible in lower atmosphere and their causes for a given intensity and location of KEF but for different background wind fields. The results show that under the influence of winter wind field, the effects of the perturbed air–sea temperature difference and the perturbed friction velocity make obvious positive contributions to the difference in heat flux across the KEF, and play a certain role in maintaining the baroclinicity in the lower atmosphere. In contrast, advection of the air–sea temperature anomaly by the perturbed friction velocity weakens the difference in heat flux across the KEF, which can significantly weaken the baroclinicity in the lower atmosphere. Under the influence of summer wind field, the perturbed surface wind reduces the difference in heat flux across KEF, which weakens the baroclinicity. The effects of the perturbed air–sea temperature difference and the advection of the perturbed air–sea temperature anomaly by the perturbed friction velocity make positive contributions to the difference in heat flux on both sides of the KEF, which effectively maintains baroclinicity in the lower atmosphere. However, the perturbed friction velocity weakens the difference in heat flux across the KEF, which significantly weakens the baroclinicity in the lower atmosphere.

중국 일대일로(一带一路)의 성과와 한국의 유라시아 물류네트워크 연계 방안 논의

With the China’s BRI (Belt and Road Initiative, the trade and logistics environment on the Eurasian continent has been changing rapidly. Since the Eurasian countries are major economic partners with Korea, it is essential to establish an efficient and economical logistics network linking land and sea routes. Following China’s proposal for the Polar Silk Road in 2018, the BRI has been expanded to three Silk Roads, and the Chinese government has been further accelerating the BRI based on cooperation with the countries related to the BRI. Against this background, this study investigates the performance of the BRI, which is rapidly integrating Eurasian logistics network, and proposes a number of comprehensive connection strategies for Korea’s Eurasian logistics network in response to the extended BRI. More specifically, this study first suggests that the TKR (Trans Korean Railways) and the KCTF (Korea-China train ferry) should be jointly pursued. Second, this study emphasizes the need to expand the utilization of block trains as a key policy of BRI and to increase preoccupancy of the block train hubs on the BRI corridors. Finally, it proposes increased participation in the Arctic development projects and active exploration of commercial opportunities related to the Arctic route.

The Polar Silk Road and China's role in Arctic governance

The People's Republic of China (PRC) wants to become a key regional actor in the Arctic. PRC's underlying priority in the region is gaining access to commercial opportunities from trade and natural resources. To this end, PRC is building its domestic capacities for research and commercial development in the Arctic, increasing its involvement in multilateral forums on Arctic governance and deepening ties to Arctic nations, especially Russia.Attitudes towards PRC among Arctic nations are diverging, but Beijing generally faces high levels of skepticism and opposition to its Arctic involvement, explicitly grounded in perceptions of PRC as a state undermining the rules-based international order and potential military build-up in the high north.The analytical framework in this article builds on an outline authored by Exner-Pirot in 2012 (Exner-Pirot, 2012) to detail the current schools of thought within Arctic governance, and builds on it by including more recent developments in Arctic governance, incorporating the updated Arctic policies of most Arctic countries and connecting it to PRC.This article contends that Beijing wants to change the status quo of Arctic governance and shift it towards a more accommodating approach to non-Arctic states. This article finds, based on the stated Arctic strategies of the eight Arctic states and PRC, that there are different views on Arctic governance where Arctic countries for the most part indicate an openness to a Chinese entry into the Arctic, albeit in diverging ways. This creates a complex governance scenario for PRC to navigate as it seeks to become a key Arctic player

Gust Characteristic Analysis of Wind Energy Resource in the Western Pacific Ocean

Fan, L.; Zheng, C.W.; Zhou, H.; Tang, H.; Zhang, G.; Gao, C.; Lang, F., and Gao, Y., 2020. Gust characteristic analysis of wind energy resource in the western Pacific Ocean. In: Zheng, C.W.; Wang, Q.; Zhan, C., and Yang, S.B. (eds.), Air-Sea Interaction and Coastal Environments of the Maritime and Polar Silk Roads. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 99, pp. 404–410. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.As a key factor in the ocean energy development, particularly for preventing and reducing disaster, the analysis of gust characteristic is necessary. This study presents the characteristics of annual and seasonal wind speed, gust wind speed in the western Pacific region, using the CCMP wind data and ERA-interim gust data. Results show that, (1) There is a good consistency in annual variation between the averaged wind speed and averaged gust, while a great difference with the maximum gust. (2) The averaged wind speed for 35 years in the nearshore is smaller than that in the off-shore. There is a large value belt in Ryukyu Islands -- Taiwan Island -- the traditional South China Sea gale center, with two obvious large centers (about 7.5-8.0 m/s) located in the Taiwan Strait, the traditional South China Sea gale center. The large area of maximum annual mean gust (> 50 m/s) is mainly locates in the broad ocean of the east of Taiwan, (3) There is an obvious seasonal difference of the average wind speed, average gust and maximum gust. The average gust has noticeable monthly variation, the peak usually appears in November and the trough mainly appearing in summer. There is also a noticeable monthly variation for the maximum gust. In the middle and south of the South China Sea, the maximum gust is <16 m/s in each month. In the most part of the western Pacific region, the peak value of maximum gust appearing is in October and August, it is about 14-24 m/s in other months.

Opportunities and Challenges of Jointly Building of the Polar Silk Road: China’s Perspective

Dramatic changes, mainly caused by global warming and globalization in recent decades, have been evident in the Arctic. The peace and stability of the Arctic, scientific research in the region, potential business opportunities and international governance have sparked widespread attention and debates around the globe. The joint establishment of the Polar Silk Road (PSR) is tantamount to international cooperation initiative between Russia, China and the related Arctic countries, which is intended to achieve common development and joint governance of the Arctic through knowledge accumulation, helps to promote interconnectivity and sustainable development in the region. As a part of China’s Arctic policy and cooperation between Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), China focuses on the coordination of national interests and strategies of relevant states regarding development of Arctic sea routes and infrastructure, prioritizes knowledge accumulation and scientific research as the guiding principle for cooperation, promotes green technology solutions and humanistic concerns, and recognizes the PSR cooperation as a new growth pole for China-Russia pragmatic cooperation. However, due to fragile natural environment and political, economic and social sensitivities of the Arctic, significant interference of global and regional geopolitics, potential challenges of global environmental politics, Acknowledgement and capacity gaps between participants, economic and technological uncertainties are major challenges for feasibility and efficiency of cooperation, requiring more in-depth scientific research, comprehensive assessments and regular coordination and communication between all stakeholders.

Framing the “Polar Silk Road” (冰上丝绸之路): Critical geopolitics, Chinese scholars and the (Re)Positionings of China's Arctic interests

China's release of a White Paper to document its Arctic Policy in 2018 has attracted widespread academic and popular commentaries. In particular, Beijing's ambition to build a “Polar Silk Road” (冰上丝绸之路) in the Arctic so as to link Asia and Europe via logistic and transportation networks have garnered intense ‘external’ speculations about whether China is using the initiative to gain geopolitical power and domination in the region. This paper however focuses on the under-researched dimension of how the idea of the Polar Silk Road is understood, debated and portrayed in the Chinese scholarly community. Specifically, by hinging on the conceptual and methodological tenets offered by framing theory, I seek to critically examine the representational themes and tropes that are mobilized by Chinese scholars in their discussions of the Polar Silk Road amidst China's increasing forays into the Arctic. Indeed, I argue that Chinese academic discourses about the Polar Silk Road evoke positive frames broaching a diversity of concerns (economic, environmental, diplomatic and so on) to not only justify but also defend China's ongoing interests and interventions in the Arctic region. By engaging in this study, this paper responds to critical geopolitics' call to pay nuanced attention to under-represented ‘non-Western’ geopolitical ideas, philosophies and traditions. Moreover, given the claim that the academic and foreign policy realms in China are intertwined in intimate and complex ways, the viewpoints of Chinese scholars thus becomes critical and relevant to understand insofar as they help to signal to the possible future developmental trajectories of China's approach in the Arctic (and beyond).

“Polar Silk road”: project implementation and geo-economic interests of Russia and China

The authors focus on the Northern sea route of Russia, which is considered as a transcontinental Euro-Asian sea transport corridor. It is emphasized that the Arctic is not only a reliable source of energy security of Russia, but also an important geostrategic region. In this regard, the Northern sea route will be modernized even if the Chinese idea of the “Polar silk road” is not implemented at all. The role of China in the development of the transit highway project, which remains a reserve of the international transport system, is analyzed. There are some high expectations of Russia from the project, as the neighboring country is extremely cautious in its implementation, investing capital mainly in mining. In addition, there is a fear that the declared principles of the project implementation will lead, if not to the complete displacement of Russian business, then to a sharp weakening of its positions. This point of view is confirmed by the policy of Chinese investors to exercise strict control over the emerging transport arteries. Among the vulnerable points of the silk road project implementation are severe natural conditions, restrictions of the navigation season, insufficient capacity of the icebreaker fleet, economic sanctions of the United States and Western Europe, as well as the difficulties of creating a modern transport infrastructure along the sea route.

Silk Road archipelagos: Islands of the Belt and Road Initiative

The concept behind the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI; formerly ‘One Belt, One Road’) began to take shape in 2013. Since then, this Chinese-led project has become a major plank in China’s foreign relations. The BRI has grown from its basis as a vision of interregional connectivity into a truly global system, encompassing places—including many island states, territories, and cities—from the South Pacific to the Arctic, from East Africa to the Caribbean, from the Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean. Islands and archipelagos are particularly prominent in the BRI’s constituent 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road (MSR) and Polar Silk Road or Ice Silk Road projects, but little scholarly attention has been paid to how the BRI relates to islands per se. This special section of Island Studies Journal includes nine papers on islands and the BRI, concerning such diverse topics as geopolitics, international law and territorial disputes, sustainability and climate change adaptation, international relations of autonomous island territories, development of outer island communities, tourism and trade, and relational understandings of archipelagic networks. Taken together, these papers present both opportunities and risks, challenges and ways forward for the BRI and how this project may impact both China and island and archipelago states and territories.

The Northern Sea Route in the 2010s: Development and Implementation of Relevant Law

The 2010s was a busy decade for the Northern Sea Route (NSR). It started with the first shipping season to feature the international use of the NSR for commercial purposes, followed by a significant reform of the domestic legal regime, as well as the adoption of the Polar Code. The traffic has gradually picked up, and although the expectations of a significant surge in trans-Arctic navigation have not materialized, the NSR’s annual turnover has grown beyond the old records set by the USSR. While the Russian authorities have struggled to find the most optimal means of development of the NSR, the latter has recently been re-marketed as a Polar Silk Road, part of the grand Chinese One Belt One Road initiative. While Russia has been rebuilding its military presence in the Arctic, the French Navy vessel BSAH Rhone unexpectedly navigated through the NSR, inciting strong political, but yet not legal, response. The present article aims to take stock of the last decade, paying primary attention to the Russian State practice in developing, adopting, and enforcing legislation in the NSR. By describing the current status and identifying some of the regulatory trends, the article will draw cautious predictions on the role of the law of the sea in the management of the NSR in the near future.

China’s policies on Polar Silk Road and impacts on trade and energy use in Arctic region

China has recently established a new policy for the energy use of the Arctic region. Even though it is not a part of the Arctic Council, China has started a series of partnerships with public and p...

“冰上丝绸之路”与北极命运共同体构建研究

“冰上丝绸之路”与北极命运共同体构建研究

Marine Science and Technology Innovation for the Polar Silk Road

Marine Science and Technology Innovation for the Polar Silk Road

China’s Belt and Road Initiative: An Overview of Developments

China’s ambitious initiative to build infrastructure in dozens of countries along land and sea trade routes stretching from China to Africa and Europe is set to grow bigger than first envisaged in 2013. Added to the original overland Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road is the Polar Silk Road, now written into China’s Arctic Policy that was published in January 2018. The China-centric initiative also got itself written into the Chinese Communist Party’s constitution in October 2017, leading many outside China to view it as more than an economic plan to build infrastructure to facilitate trade and boost development in developing countries. Foreign observers see it also as a scheme to expand China’s influence overseas by binding other nations more closely to it economically. That there is demand for the infrastructure that the Chinese want to build is unquestionable — in Asia alone, to keep the economies humming, there is a need to invest US$1.7 trillion annually in infrastructure up till 2030. However, the security and financial risks of this venture are daunting to investors as the routes run through some of the riskiest countries in the world. The situation is not helped by suspicion over China’s intentions and concerns about the lack of transparency and whether tender processes meet international standards. China needs to listen to and allay the concerns of governments, corporations and international organizations to gain their support and participation in this project that is so massive it cannot pull off alone.

China's Polar Silk Road: Overview, Challenges &amp; Opportunities

The Polar Silk Road is a 2018 announced policy of China's in relation to its ambitions with the Arctic Circle and adjoining countries. It is a further strategic move under the ambitious Belt & Road Initiative (One Belt, One Road). The Arctic is rich in mineral resources, with global warming is a potential shortened marine transport route between Europe for China, and will likely provide additional opportunities in the near term in sectors including Tourism. It is also desolate, remote and the USA today has very limited influence. This paper provides an overview of the background to the Polar Silk Road, comments on the current geopolitics and likely shifts as this region opens up, and notes both China specific benefits and more general opportunities that the Arctic will undoubtedly present.

The Polar Silk Road: China’s New Frontier of International Cooperation

The introduction of the “Polar Silk Road (PSR)” into the first comprehensive white paper on Arctic policy is a historic step for China’s Arctic engagement. Over the past few years, China has achieved policy synergies and launched industrial, scientific and technological cooperation with Russia and Nordic countries. With enlarged interests and enhanced capabilities, China is becoming a preferred partner for Russia and Nordic countries in a number of infrastructure, energy and transportation projects within the Arctic region. The PSR framework to advance Arctic cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) presents both economic opportunities and social as well as environmental challenges for Chinese enterprises to balance the utilization and protection of the Arctic.