Vice Foreign Minister Kong Hyun-soo appeared in the new country office this morning. However, he is not the issue of the Korean Peninsula but the white paper on "China's Arctic Policy," as the Special Representative of the Chinese Peninsula Affairs.
This is China's first document on the Arctic policy, and the conference site made him "both unexpected and unexpected." Konosuke said he thought everyone would certainly care about the release of this white paper, but he did not expect everyone to be so concerned.
What does China want to do in the North Pole, making the international community nervous?
The White Paper sets forth China's basic position on the issue of the Arctic. It fully introduces China's policy objectives, basic principles and major policy proposals for participating in the Arctic. The full text is about 9,000 words and consists of three parts: preface, main text and conclusion.
For the international community's assessment of China's "polar power" and "military intentions," Kong Hyun-soo also responded with "no need to worry at all."
Politics Zhijun next to the reader what to draw the key points of the white paper, accompanied by Kong Hyun-woo answer on the issue of the Korean Peninsula egg oh ~
Arctic sovereignty status quo
The Arctic continent and the island cover an area of about 8 million square kilometers. The territorial sovereignty of the mainland and islands belongs to the eight Arctic states of Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the United States respectively.
The Arctic Ocean covers an area of more than 12 million square kilometers and its maritime rights and interests are shared by littoral states and nations in accordance with international law. The Arctic coastal States have jurisdiction over inland waters, territorial waters, contiguous zones, exclusive economic zones and the continental shelf, as well as the high seas and the international seabed in the Arctic Ocean.
The Basis for China to Participate in Arctic Governance
Countries outside the Arctic enjoy no territorial sovereignty over the Arctic. However, they enjoy the right to scientific research, navigation, overflight, fishing and laying of submarine cables and pipelines in accordance with international treaties such as the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and general international law in the high seas of the Arctic Ocean. The region enjoys the right to resources exploration and development. In addition, States parties to the Treaty of Spitsbergen have the right to freely access certain Arctic regions and legally enjoy the right to conduct research and to carry out productive and commercial activities, including hunting, fishing and mining, within their jurisdiction.
China and the Arctic
China is an Important Stakeholder for Arctic Affairs. China is geographically "near-Arctic" and one of the countries closest to the Arctic on land. The natural conditions of the Arctic and its changes have a direct impact on China's climate system and ecological environment and thus the economic interests of China in such fields as agriculture, forestry, fisheries and oceans.
Konosuke said Kong stressed two points about the role China should play in the Arctic: it is not offside but not absent.
"No Offside" means that China, as a non-Arctic country, will not intervene entirely in the Arctic countries and within the Arctic region.
"Not missing a bit" means that China, as an important stakeholder in the Arctic affairs, will play an active and constructive role in trans-regional and global issues on the Arctic.
China's Arctic Policy Objectives and Fundamental Principles
China's Arctic policies are aimed at understanding the Arctic, protecting the Arctic, using the Arctic and participating in the Arctic governance, safeguarding the common interests of all nations and the international community in the Arctic, and promoting the sustainable development of the Arctic.
In order to achieve the above-mentioned policy goals, China participates in the Arctic in line with the basic principle of "respect, cooperation, win-win and sustainability."
Major Policy Propositions for China's Participation in Arctic Affairs
As a pioneer in scientific research, China attaches importance to environmental protection, advocates reasonable utilization, advocates governing by law and international cooperation, and is committed to maintaining a peaceful, safe and stable North Pole order.
Continue to deepen the exploration and understanding of the Arctic
Protect the Arctic ecological environment and combat climate change
Rational use of Arctic resources according to law
Actively participate in Arctic governance and international cooperation
Promote peace and stability in the Arctic
Among them, the third point, making rational use of Arctic resources in accordance with the law includes:
Participate in the development and utilization of the Arctic channel
Participate in the development and utilization of non-biological resources such as oil and gas and minerals
Participate in the conservation and utilization of biological resources such as fisheries
Participate in the development of tourism resources
Does China have strategic and military intentions in Arctic policy?
Some media questions indicated that there are voices in the international community who question China's strategic and military intentions in the Arctic policy, including the increased influence that China's investment in the relevant countries will cause, and may eventually become a strategic power and become "a polar power."
In response, Kong Hyun-soo responded directly and directly to China. China attaches importance to the development and utilization of the Arctic and encourages and supports the relevant business groups to participate in the development and utilization of the Arctic in accordance with the law and in accordance with the principles of green, cooperative use and commercial principles.
In short, the fundamental goal of China's participation in the development and utilization of the Arctic is to promote the mutual benefit and win-win situation of all parties so as to promote the sustainable development of the Arctic.
Kong Hyun-soo stressed that China's participation in the development and utilization of the Arctic is a contribution to the Arctic and brings about opportunities for development, benefiting the people of the Arctic.
Some people may have some doubts about our participation in the development of the Arctic. If we are worried about another piece of our plan or plundering resources and damaging the environment, I think this kind of worry is totally unnecessary. The Arctic countries have a sound legal system and set a very high threshold for environmental protection, labor and commercial exploitation of the Arctic. There are also very high standards. I believe we will act in accordance with the relevant standards and laws and make a positive contribution to the economic and social development of the Arctic and the well-being of the people.
At present, China is building a new "icebreaker" for scientific expeditions and it is estimated that it will be completed and delivered next year.
Egg: Why did the Special Representative of the Peninsula Affairs never visit North Korea?
A reporter seized this opportunity to ask Kong Hyo-soo about the situation in the Korean Peninsula and asked "why the special representative of the Chinese Peninsula Affairs has not yet gone to North Korea."
In response, Kong Hyun-woo said that as one of the special representatives of the Chinese government on Korean Peninsula affairs, it has not gone to North Korea so far. The reason is very complex.
However, no matter whether it is going to North Korea, China has committed itself to maintaining the peace and stability on the peninsula and has not changed any firm position on its commitment to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, and has never stopped its active diplomatic efforts.
At the same time, he hopes that the current positive interactive situation in the peninsula will continue and that it will not be limited to the PyeongMing Olympic Winter Games. With the joint efforts of both sides, a dialogue will be established between the two sides and the momentum of contacts will be timely turned to solve the peninsula issue Political dialogue.
I also hope that all other parties concerned will give more support to positive contacts and interactions between the North and the South and do more positive positive things in favor of contacts and dialogue between the North and the South instead of the opposite.
