{"id":2114922,"date":"2023-12-04T03:17:01","date_gmt":"2023-12-04T08:17:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/battle-for-arctic-territory-pits-us-against-china-and-russia\/"},"modified":"2023-12-04T03:21:48","modified_gmt":"2023-12-04T08:21:48","slug":"battle-for-arctic-territory-pits-us-against-china-and-russia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/battle-for-arctic-territory-pits-us-against-china-and-russia\/","title":{"rendered":"US, China, and Russia vie for Arctic territory"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fbattle-for-arctic-territory-pits-us-against-china-and-russia%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2114922&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>Democrats and Republicans Unite in Concern Over\u2063 China and Russia&#8217;s Arctic Ambitions<\/h2>\n<p>Washington is witnessing an unlikely alliance between Democrats and Republicans as they express \u200dshared worries about China and Russia&#8217;s aggressive\u2064 moves to dominate the Arctic\u200d region. Thousands of \u2062miles away from the \u2064U.S.-Canada\u200c border, \u2064off the coast of Alaska,\u200d Chinese \u2062and Russian\u200c entities are quietly expanding \u200btheir \u200dmaritime fleets in this often overlooked and neglected area.<\/p>\n<h3>Recognizing \u2062the Importance of the Arctic<\/h3>\n<p>Representative Bennie \u2064Thompson\u2062 (D-MS), the top Democrat on the House Homeland \u2064Security Committee, emphasized the \u2064growing significance of the Arctic in terms of homeland \u200bsecurity. In a \u200brecent hearing,\u2062 he \u2062stated, &#8220;With climate change,\u200c Arctic waters are increasingly open \u2064to \u200cmaritime activity like\u200d shipping, \u2064energy exploration, fishing, and tourism. \u2062Adversaries like Russia and China are trying\u200c to gain strategic advantage, and the U.S. must be ready to assert and protect its interests in the region.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The U.S. Coast Guard, a branch of\u200d the\u2064 military under the Department of Homeland Security, has been at the forefront of \u2062maintaining\u2062 a \u2062U.S. presence\u200b in the Arctic. However, lawmakers are concerned about the nation&#8217;s \u2064ability to keep up with the rapid pace of \u200bChina \u200cand Russia in\u200b exploiting this untapped \u200darea.<\/p>\n<h3>A Flashpoint of Geopolitical Competition<\/h3>\n<p>House Homeland Security Chairman Mark Green (R-TN) highlighted the Arctic&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/white-house-releases-list-of-president-trumps-accomplishments-and-it-is-historic\/\" title=\"White House Releases List of President Trump\u2019s Accomplishments \u2013  And It Is Historic!\">abundant natural resources<\/a>, vital shipping routes, fishing waters, and potential for future development, making \u2062it \u200da focal point of\u200b geopolitical \u200dcompetition\u2062 between the United States and\u200c its near-peer rivals.\u200d He also expressed concern about China&#8217;s attempts to assert its influence\u2063 in \u200bArctic affairs despite having no territorial claim in the region.<\/p>\n<p>While China is not geographically \u200dclose to\u2063 the Arctic, it \u200chas labeled \u2063itself a &#8220;near Arctic state&#8221; as a means of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/u-s-ally-qatars-ties-to-terrorism-scrutinized-after-hamas-attack-on-israel\/\" title=\"Qatar's links to terrorism under scrutiny after Hamas attack on Israel.\">exerting diplomatic pressure<\/a> \u200cand increasing maritime presence in Arctic \u2063waters. In contrast,\u2062 Russia&#8217;s mainland is a mere 60 miles away from Alaska.<\/p>\n<h3>Strengthening \u200cU.S. Presence in the Arctic<\/h3>\n<p>Last year,\u200b the Biden administration\u200b released the\u200c National Strategy for the\u200c Arctic Region, which outlined the\u200d need to enhance \u200bsecurity, address\u200c climate change, protect the environment, and collaborate with indigenous\u2062 communities and international allies. Representative Carlos Gimenez (R-FL), \u2062chairman of the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Transportation \u2064and\u200c Maritime Security, emphasized that the United States, through Alaska, is one\u200c of \u200dthe eight Arctic countries.<\/p>\n<p>Both Democrats and Republicans agree that the Coast Guard must increase its presence \u2064in the northern waters, primarily \u200cby adding more &#8220;icebreaker&#8221; ships to its fleet. However, the U.S.\u2064 is currently lagging behind its competitors in this\u2062 regard. \u200dWhile the Coast Guard possesses one aging heavy \u200bicebreaker, Russia boasts over \u200b50\u200c icebreakers, and \u2062China is actively \u200bconstructing more \u2062vessels.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, there is room for improvement in utilizing existing \u200cmilitary resources \u200din Alaska. During the\u200c Cold War, the U.S. Air Force had early warning radar stations, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/dod-more-troops-will-be-deployed-to-afghanistan-before-sept-11\/\" title=\"DOD: More troops will be deployed to Afghanistan before Sept. 11\">long-range bombers<\/a>, and\u200c missile defense capabilities \u2063in the state. \u200bRepresentative Green emphasized\u2062 that Alaska&#8217;s\u200c airspace serves as the nation&#8217;s first line of defense against \u200dpotential intrusions.<\/p>\n<h3>The Growing Importance of Alaska<\/h3>\n<p>The \u2062rapid recession of sea ice in \u2062the Arctic is transforming the region into a\u2064 pressing concern. As parts of the Arctic Ocean become more navigable, military and \u200ccivilian ships can utilize major shipping routes like the Northern Sea Route and the \u2064Northwest Passage. This trend further underscores the strategic importance of Alaska\u2064 to the United \u2064States.<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2>What is the geopolitical importance of the Arctic?<\/h2>\n<p><span>The three most important\u200b resources in the Arctic are minerals, \u200cfish stocks and huge\u200d oil and gas\u200c reserves, most of which are located in Russian territories. &#8220;Long-term interstate conflict potential&#8221; in the Arctic lies in access to petroleum and \u2062minerals, renewable marine resources or shipping\u2063 lanes. Raphically connected to the Arctic, it has been actively\u2064 seeking to extend \u2064its influence beyond its borders \u2064through its Belt and Road Initiative, which includes the development of a &#8220;Polar Silk\u2064 Road.&#8221; This \u200dinitiative aims \u200bto connect China to the Arctic region\u200d through infrastructure projects and economic \u200binvestments. China&#8217;s increasing presence in the Arctic has raised concerns among Democrats and \u2064Republicans\u200c alike, who see it as a potential threat to American dominance in the region.<\/p>\n<p>Russia, on the other hand, has long been a dominant player \u200cin the\u200b Arctic, \u200cwith \u200ba significant portion of its territory located in the region. It has been expanding \u200dits military presence\u2063 in the Arctic, reopening military\u2063 bases and \u2062conducting large-scale military \u2063exercises. This \u200bhas raised \u200dconcerns about Russia&#8217;s intentions \u200dand the\u2062 potential for increased tensions in the region.<\/p>\n<p>The United States has historically been a leader in the \u200cArctic, with\u200c Alaska serving as a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/border-patrol-wife-shares-southern-borders-dangers-and-chaos-bad-guys-at-my-window\/\" title=\"Border Patrol Wife Shares Southern Border's Dangers and Chaos: 'Bad Guys at My Window'\">key strategic location<\/a>. However, the Arctic has not received the same level of attention and \u2063resources\u200d as \u2063other areas of\u2064 concern for the United States, such as the Middle East and Asia. This has left\u2064 the \u2062U.S. ill-prepared to respond\u2063 to\u200b the increasing challenges posed by China\u2064 and Russia.<\/p>\n<p>To address these concerns, lawmakers from both parties are calling for increased investment in Arctic infrastructure, including icebreakers, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/why-energy-security-is-national-security-2\/\" title=\"Why Energy Security Is National Security\">deep-water ports<\/a>, and surveillance\u2064 capabilities. They are \u2062also advocating \u200bfor \u2062enhanced cooperation with allies, such as\u200b Canada and the Nordic countries, to\u200d ensure a united\u2064 stance against China and Russia&#8217;s ambitions in the\u2062 region.<\/p>\n<p>Cooperation \u200dbetween Democrats and Republicans on this issue demonstrates the recognition of the importance of the Arctic and the need for a bipartisan approach to address the challenges posed \u200dby China and Russia. It also reflects a broader recognition \u200cthat the United States cannot afford to\u200c overlook or neglect this strategically significant region.<\/p>\n<p>As China and Russia continue to expand their presence and influence in the Arctic, the \u200dUnited States must take decisive\u200d action to protect\u2064 its interests and assert its dominance\u200d in the region. The unity between Democrats and Republicans in expressing \u200bconcern\u200c about China \u2064and Russia&#8217;s Arctic\u200d ambitions is a\u2064 crucial step towards developing a comprehensive strategy to safeguard\u200d American\u200d interests in this rapidly changing geopolitical\u2062 landscape.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Democrats and Republicans in Washington are united in their worry about China and Russia&#8217;s race to dominate the Arctic. Far north of the US-Canada border, near Alaska, both countries are striving to expand their naval presence in the often neglected Arctic region. BIDEN<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2114923,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[538],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2114922","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2114922","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2114922"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2114922\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2114923"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2114922"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2114922"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2114922"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}