The Emerging “Great Game” in the Arctic: Political Dynamics of China’s Polar Silk Road and Evolving Strategic Stakes for East Asia

Amid intensifying geopolitical tensions and shifting strategic priorities, the Arctic is re-emerging as a key arena of great-power competition among the United States, Europe and Russia. This article analyses how China, Japan and South Korea perceive the region and their respective roles, with particular focus on China’s Polar Silk Road as an increasingly important strategic and logistical corridor. It argues that various initiatives are reshaping Arctic security calculations and regional political dynamics, positioning China as an emerging Arctic power.