As the thawing of the Arctic has increased its geopolitical prominence and potential economic viability, new players have expanded their presence and influence in the region. China - a less obvious player in the Arctic - has in recent years pressed for a greater role in regional affairs.

Chris Cash is joined by Lukas Wahden, a Yenching Scholar at Peking University, to discuss his LSE IDEAS piece on the steps China will have to take to reach its goal of becoming a ‘polar great power’. Lukas explains how cooperation between China and Russia in recent years has added an intriguing complexity to Arctic geopolitics and how Beijing sees the region as key to refining its image as a global power. The impact of the war in Ukraine on the Arctic balance of power is also explored in this podcast.

Read Lukas's piece: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/cff/2021/11/24/in-the-russian-arctic-china-treads-on-thinning-ice/