Author: Over the Circle

One of the lesser-known issues entangled in the increasingly divisive political atmosphere of Washington DC has been funding for new icebreaking vessels responding to the strategic changes taking place in the Arctic. The United States currently has two operational icebreakers, one heavy (USCGC Polar Star) and one medium (USCGC Healy), both under the command of… Continue reading So What Is the ‘Icebreaker Gap’ Anyway? →

This year’s Barents Spektakel event in Kirkenes was dedicated to transforming the city into the ‘world’s most northern Chinatown’, complete with cultural events, art, music and literature readings, as well as public seminars to discuss the expanding role of China in the Arctic. Slightly more than two years have passed since diplomatic relations between China… Continue reading Scenes from a Northern Crossroad: China and Russia in the Arctic →

It has been a longstanding joke in Oslo diplomatic circles that Norway and China have always been close neighbours since they are separated by only one country, with the minor detail being that the country in question is the Russian Federation. Yet, the closeness between China and Norway was sorely tested during 2010-16 when bilateral… Continue reading No Borderline: A Norway-Russia Frontier Festival Connects with China →

As climate change continues to affect the Arctic, including in Greenland, there is growing interest from many countries about the possibility of expanded resource extraction on the island. China has become a major player in potential mining projects, and recent further steps were taken by Chinese firms to engage in mining joint ventures. The planned… Continue reading New Article: ‘China Steps up Its Mining Interests in Greenland’ →

This week, the final report from a working group [In Finnish] assembled to gauge the viability of a railway system linking the far northern cities of Rovaneimi (Finland) and Kirkenes (Norway) suggested that, at present, such a link would not be financially workable. Although the report [pdf], issued by the Finnish Ministry of Transport and Communications, was… Continue reading Unexpected Detour? An Arctic Railway Project Encounters Financial Obstacles →