We ‘all need to pay attention’ to China and Russia in Arctic, says top US commander
Chairman of Joint Chiefs Charles Brown says countries need to know if partnership is for the collective good or a challenge to other nations
“It’s something we all need to be paying attention to and to understand what they’re doing together, and is it for some type of positive benefit to the collective whole, or is that something they’re doing to challenge other nations and other interests?” Brown told the Arctic Chiefs of Defence Conference in Iceland on Wednesday.
“The US remains focused on deterring any malign activities including Russia’s modernisation of capabilities that pose risks to the allied territories and interests, China’s growing influence in the region and the increasing cooperation between the two countries.”
Brown, who chaired this year’s forum, also met his counterparts from Sweden and Norway during the visit, according to the Pentagon.
The US has long recognised the region’s strategic importance, especially to homeland defence during the Cold War, and updated its Arctic strategy in July.
Competition in the Arctic has grown in recent years, as global warming has opened up once-frozen sea lines, offering access to energy and mineral deposits in the sea but also increasing the prospect of maritime disputes.
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