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The Chinese delegation came to the Russian settlement on Svalbard in late August. Here, Arktikugol director Ildar Neverov presented Russia\u2019s plans<\/a> to establish a scientific centre in Pyramiden. Moscow hopes to attract researchers from BRICS+ countries to team up for science and education at a new centre that yet has to be built.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Professor Marc Lanteigne with UiT – Arctic University of Norway in Troms\u00f8 is expert on China\u2019s Arctic interests. He believes Svalbard will become even more important for Bejing under the current geopolitical global power tensions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWith Chinese research interests being curtailed elsewhere, including in Canada and Greenland, Svalbard is growing in importance for Chinese polar researchers,\u201d Lanteigne says to the Barents Observer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The professor is one few academics based in northern Norway that speaks mandarin. In Ny-\u00c5lesund on Svalbard, where China for 20 years has operated its Arctic Yellow River Station, Marc Lanteigne easily finds topics of shared interest to discuss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The station is crewed with scientists from the Shanghai-based Polar Research Institute of China (PRIC).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lanteigne says China has a growing concern that Norway is seeking to expand its oversight of research activities on Svalbard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBeijing is especially critical of Norwegian protocols which call for research on the archipelago to be restricted to natural science,\u201d Lanteigne explains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis is seen in China as being against the spirit of the Svalbard Treaty.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Both China and Russia have expressed desire to engage in social science at the Norwegian archipelago. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In Ny-\u00c5lesund, which is the world\u2019s northernmost year-round research community, more than 20 research institutions from several countries are present. Climate change, glaciology, marine life are important topics studied.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Russia, however, is not present in Ny-\u00c5lesund but runs its own research from Barentsburg. Here, the Kola Science Centre, a branch of the Academy of Science, has a laboratory and offices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Moscow has pushed for creating a brand new Arctic science centre, and invites partners<\/a> from what it defines as \u2018friendly countries\u2019. Earlier this summer a research delegation from Turkey<\/a> visited Pyramiden. If they will team up with Russia is unknown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ankara is together with Pyongyang the newest signatures to the 1920 Svalbard Treaty. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The Chinese visit to Barentsburg did not either result in any official statements on possible Chinese direct participation in a new Russian science centre on Svalbard. But doors are not closed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cRussia is perceived as an important partner in China\u2019s ongoing concerns about better understanding the high north. Moreover, with Chinese activities in and around Ny-\u00c5lesund now coming under greater Norwegian scrutiny over dual-use risks, Beijing is not going to ignore the possibility of an alternative research network which Moscow is proposing,\u201d professor Lanteigne says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This August, diplomates from China\u2019s Consulate General in St. Petersburg discussed with Russia\u2019s Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute about how to boost joint science interests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt was discussed possibilities of strategic cooperation between Russia and China in the field of Arctic studies,\u201d the institute writes on its Vkontakte<\/a> page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In Antarctica, the two leading BRICS countries already work together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Svalbard, however, is not the only location for Arctic cooperation. \u201cIt was discussed possibilities of implementing joint projects on board Russia\u2019s drifting vessel North Pole,<\/em>\u201d the text says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This summer is the fist time China has sent all its three icebreakers into Arctic waters, including the Xue Long 2<\/em> that made port call to Murmansk<\/a> in August after crossing the Arctic from the Bering Strait to the Barents Sea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe must develop a system by which Russian and Chinese scientists can visit scientific stations of our countries. Polar regions are a huge cluster for interdisciplinary research and solving common problems in science,\u201d said Ling Tiejun, Deputy Director of the China Arctic and Antarctic Administration according to the post on Vkontakte<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n According to the agreements reached, the first consultation meetings between scientific organisations on joint Arctic projects will begin later this fall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Marc Lanteigne says China is in position to chose cooperation both with a new Russian initiative and at the same time continue to work out of Ny-\u00c5lesund. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cChina has the unusual luxury of watching and waiting to see how the possible [Russian] Pyramiden centre develops. This caution is in keeping with Beijing\u2019s attempts to draw closer to Russia in the Arctic, without slamming the door on other Arctic state,\u201d Lanteigne says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Vladimir Putin had Arctic shipping high up on his agenda when he visited China\u2019s ruler Xi Jinping<\/a> this spring. In Putin\u2019s delegation was also regional leaders, including Arkhangelsk governor Tsybulsky who discussed port developments and other industrial logistics projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is not known if Putin discussed the planned Svalbard science centre with his Chinese counterpart. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This week Norway\u2019s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr St\u00f8re is on official visit to Beijing<\/a>. How to implement strategies to combat climate changes was high on the agenda, including how the two countries can cooperate on green technology. <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/thebarentsobserver.com\/sites\/default\/files\/resize\/yellow-river-station-1000x416.jpg\")
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