China rejects EU's Cold War framing of Arctic cooperation with Russia

The EU unveiled a new Arctic initiative that includes enhanced monitoring and a larger icebreaker fleet, suggesting that China's growing partnership with Russia poses security risks. In response, China’s foreign ministry, represented by spokeswoman Mao Ning, rejected the characterization of Beijing's actions as driven by a "Cold War mentality" and affirmed that its Arctic involvement seeks peaceful and sustainable development in line with international law.

This comes after a Chinese shipowner launched a weekly container service through the Arctic and after Chinese and Russian leaders signed a communique to expand cooperation on Arctic shipping routes. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has called for stronger Arctic defenses, further intensifying the diplomatic tug-of-war. The episode underscores the strategic competition among Europe, China, Russia and the United States over the increasingly navigable polar corridor.