First Sea Lord warns China will exploit thawing Arctic sea routes

[Gerald]

The head of the UK Royal Navy First Sea Lord Admiral Tony Radakin has warned that China could exploit once-frozen sea passages to reach the North Atlantic, posing a strategic threat to the UK.

Speaking onboard the Royal Navy’s second Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, the First Sea Lord warned that the thawing of ice in the Arctic region due to global warming would make China a strategic threat to the UK.

Radakin told an audience of reporters: “Climate change is a concern for all of us, but it is opening up new maritime trade routes across the top of the world, halving the transit time between Europe and Asia. And we sit at the gateway to those routes.

“But when China sails its growing Navy into the Atlantic, which way will it come – the long route, or the short?”

https://www.naval-technology.com/fea...ic-sea-routes/

Of course, these are important and strategic sea routes across the Arctic, several players need safe routes in the event of external threats in the immediate environment.

[ikalugin]

Originally Posted by Gerald

https://www.naval-technology.com/fea...ic-sea-routes/

Of course, these are important and strategic sea routes across the Arctic, several players need safe routes in the event of external threats in the immediate environment.

The Northern Sea Way is controlled by Russia and passed by two large UK allies - US and Canada.


So the best way to check the Chinese advances in there would be to cooperate with Canada and US more and to push Russia less into the Russia-China alliance.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by ikalugin

The Northern Sea Way is controlled by Russia and passed by two large UK allies - US and Canada.


So the best way to check the Chinese advances in there would be to cooperate with Canada and US more and to push Russia less into the Russia-China alliance.

Most probably

[Gerald]

Originally Posted by ikalugin

The Northern Sea Way is controlled by Russia and passed by two large UK allies - US and Canada.


So the best way to check the Chinese advances in there would be to cooperate with Canada and US more and to push Russia less into the Russia-China alliance.

Or more members in Nato!

[ikalugin]

Originally Posted by Gerald

Or more members in Nato!

Unless you mean adding Russia to NATO... I am not sure how that would work.

[mapuc]

Since some years back the Swedish government has created a commission to investigate the advantages and disadvantages of a NATO membership.

Markus

[ET2SN]

NOOOO! Not more cheap #### at discount prices with a "made in China" label on it! It only lasts for ten years before you have to throw it in a ditch.

I can't wander the aisles of WalMart more than I do now!

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by ikalugin

Unless you mean adding Russia to NATO... I am not sure how that would work.

NATO and the west have already advanced more eastward than common sense should dictate.

[Gerald]

Originally Posted by ikalugin

Unless you mean adding Russia to NATO... I am not sure how that would work.

No Russia! Nothing that is current. but in a future scenario, it cannot be ruled out if China and other actors in its environment allow themselves to be guided into an alliance that directly threatens NATO and "neighbors" in its environment.

[ikalugin]

Originally Posted by mapuc

Since some years back the Swedish government has created a commission to investigate the advantages and disadvantages of a NATO membership.

Markus

Sweden does not have direct access to the Northern Sea Way the last time I checked.

Originally Posted by Gerald

No Russia! Nothing that is current. but in a future scenario, it cannot be ruled out if China and other actors in its environment allow themselves to be guided into an alliance that directly threatens NATO and "neighbors" in its environment.

For China to threaten NATO members (that are not US or Canada) via Arctic they would need to deploy with heavy Russian support and through narrows (Berring straits) that pass by Alaska.


So sounds dubious.

[Gerald]

Originally Posted by ikalugin

Sweden does not have direct access to the Northern Sea Way the last time I checked. Not officially.






For China to threaten NATO members (that are not US or Canada) via Arctic they would need to deploy with heavy Russian support and through narrows (Berring straits) that pass by Alaska.


So sounds dubious.

What a possible future scenario looks like, no one can imagine and in this case there are many variables to be included.