THE PROSPECTS OF SINO-RUSSIAN ECONOMIC COOPERATION IN THE ARCTIC REGION

Abstract

This study aims to analyze whether Sino-Russian economic interests align in the Arctic to identify the prospects of economic cooperation between China and Russia in the Arctic region. Relationality-oriented Chinese school of thought namely the “Relational Theory of World Politics” provides the theoretical framework for this study. In this qualitative study, a descriptive method of data analysis was used to analyze and interpret the data collected by primary and secondary sources to gather results. The nature of this study is prospective which is based on an analytical overview of past and concurrent developments between Sino-Russian economic relations generally and (also) specifically in the Arctic region. The scope of this study is only limited to the economic interests of China and Russia in the Arctic. This research work concludes that, deepened relational intimacy, mutual trust, convergent Arctic policy goals and alignment of economic interests can prospectively lead both the states into bilateral economic cooperation in the Arctic region to achieve their respective goals and counterweight American dominance in other resource-rich regions. This study is significant because it analyzes the potential of harmonious interaction between great powers through the lens of relationality rather than realism, rationality and anarchism. Leisure readers, information seekers, students and scholars of International Relations, Sino-Russian Foreign Policy, Nordic Studies and Arctic Developmental Studies can benefit from the in-depth analytical study regarding the Sino-Russian economic alignment in the Arctic