Collaboration Between Russia and China in the Arctic in the Format of Development Zones

Russia-China relations have been flourishing and spreading to new spheres and regions. China has been interested in the collaboration with Russia on the extraction of natural resources which principal reserves are located in the High North. However, in the view of strategic importance of the Arctic for the both states, the relationship agenda has been increasingly shifting from individual investment projects to the integral collaboration on the development of economic, transport, and logistics corridors and adjacent territories in the Russian Arctic. The paper discusses the directions of collaboration between the two countries in the Arctic in the format of development zones, as well as evaluates the opportunities of convergence of zone-based investment projects and the inclusion of theArctic to the Belt and Road Initiative and China’s participation in the establishment of the Arctic Blue Economic Corridor.