On May 26, the conference Russian-Chinese Cooperation in the Field of Sustainable Development in the Arctic Region will take place as part of the Think Arctic project. The project is included in the program of Russia’s Arctic Council chairmanship in 2021-2023.

The conference aims to assess the current opportunities and limitations for Russian-Chinese cooperation in the Arctic. Experts will also evaluate the effectiveness of existing platforms and interaction formats, as well as outline priority areas and tools for strengthening cooperation in the sustainable development of the Arctic.

Discussions will focus on the following three topics:

- China’s Arctic strategy: priorities, goals and mechanisms;

- Current trends of Russia-China relations;

- Prospects for Russia-China cooperation in the field of sustainable development.

The further deepening of Russian-Chinese interaction, including in the Arctic, is driven by a generally high level of bilateral trade and economic cooperation. Beijing shows respect for the rights and interests of the coastal Arctic countries and expresses readiness for close coordination and cooperation with Russia, said Nikolai Korchunov, Ambassador-at-Large of the Russian Foreign Ministry and Chair of the Committee ofSenior Arctic Officials.

“In terms of the Arctic region, the main areas of Russian-Chinese cooperation could be energy, including carbonless energy, as well as projects to jointly develop the Northern Sea Route and the relevant coastal infrastructure. We also feel positive about the participation of Chinese companies in energy projects in the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation. We will welcome the participation of our Chinese partners in other projects in the Russian Arctic, including within the Arctic Council, in which China is an observer state, as well as in the field of sustainable development of the Arctic region in general,” Nikolai Korchunov said.

The conclusions of the conference will be included in an analytical report on international cooperation between Russia and Arctic and non-Arctic states in sustainable development. The results of the Think Arctic project will be presented at panel discussions at various platforms, including the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (to be held on June 15-18) and the International Arctic Forum in April 2023.

The conference on Russia-China cooperation in the field of sustainable development of the Arctic will be the third event of the Think Arctic project, which is run by Roscongress, the Center for Comprehensive European and International Studies at the Higher School of Economics, and the Russian Government’s Analytical Center.

The online broadcast of the conference will be available at the official website of Russia’s Arctic Council chairmanship.