Opening the Alaska Front—Civilian Facades and Strategic Moves

AT SEA - JANUARY 6: In this photo provided by the U.S. Coast Guard, the Russian tanker Renda powers toward Nome, Alaska with the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy's assistance January 6, 2012 in the Bering Sea. The tanker, carrying 1.3 million gallons of fuel for Nome, is traveling through approximately 300 miles of ice covered sea to deliver badly needed supplies to the community of about 3,500 after poor weather conditions prevented a previously scheduled delivery before the winter conditions set in. Photo by Sara Francis/U.S. Coast Guard via Getty Images

China has been encroaching on the distant coasts of Alaska, and the U.S. Coast Guard has been loud about it during the summer.

Join Terri Wu as she analyzes what is happening in the far North, as nations jostle for both economic and military control of the Arctic Circle. Receding ice from longer seasons is making the frozen ocean viable for more consistent access, and China wants a piece.

Listen to how the United States is responding, and why this frozen wasteland, or what lies beneath it, is so valuable.

Included below is the link to the polar shipping routes promised in the episode: https://transportgeography.org/contents/chapter1/transportation-and-space/polar-shipping-routes/

The names of the five most significant ports along Russia’s Arctic coastline are Murmansk, Sabetta, Arkhangelsk, Tiksi, and Uzhden.

Views expressed in this episode are opinions of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.

—

Terri Wu is a Washington-based freelance reporter for The Epoch Times covering education and China-related issues. Send tips to [email protected].

Enjoyed this podcast? Follow China Watch for a peek behind the red curtain