The Arctic Circle, a region with significant potential for international trade, is being contested by Russia, China, and the US for dominance.

An expert advised Planet Chronicle Digital that the U.S. should remain vigilant about China and Russia's aspirations to control the Arctic region, even if the public does not fully comprehend the region's worth.

RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery stated that the entire area holds significance in a purely military context.

""Firstly, there is a military context to this, and secondly, China's heavy dependence on oil and natural gas deliveries is a significant economic context," Montgomery stated."

"Montgomery stated that the Chinese are highly concerned about strategic chokepoints such as the Straits of Malacca and are aware of the United States' capability to sink large-scale amounts of enemy merchants. As a result, they are seeking a path around Russia through the north, which is known as the Northern Sea Route."

In the week after President Biden announced he wouldn't seek a second term, Russian and Chinese bombers flew near Alaska. U.S. and Canadian fighter jets intercepted and escorted the bombers out of the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) for the first time, as Chinese bomber aircraft flew through it.

The U.S. Defense Secretary, Gen. Lloyd Austin, stated that no aircraft entered U.S. airspace, but they were within 200 miles of the Alaskan coast. The growing alliance between Russia and China in recent years continues to cause concern among the U.S. military.

The Arctic region has become a critical part of national security, prompting the Pentagon to release policy plans for the region.

The Arctic strategy will direct the department's efforts to maintain the security and stability of the Arctic region, as announced by Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks in the policy plan published in July.

""Ensuring our military capabilities can adapt to the changing climate is a top priority for the department, as climate change is fundamentally altering the Arctic and impacting geopolitics and U.S. defense missions," Hicks said."

Beijing has intensified its presence in the Arctic, mirroring its efforts to bolster its influence in the disputed South China Sea and Taiwan Strait, where the U.S. has also stepped up to challenge and thwart China's aspirations.

"The PRC, despite not being an Arctic state, aims to increase its influence, access, and control in the region, which is concerning as it is the only strategic competitor with the capability to reshape the global order."

In the disputed waters, China seeks to expand its influence through land laws; in the Arctic, the absence of land rights simplifies its claim to control sea routes and potential trade.

"Montgomery stated that he believed the sovereignty claims in the region would be extremely difficult to resolve, with all nations having inappropriate claims, but particularly the Russians, who wanted to assert ownership over the North Pole as if other countries did not exist."

"The Northern Sea route offers fuel savings and an alternative route, but currently lacks payment options like the Suez Canal. By taking the shorter distance, you can save on fuel and payments for people and vessels, making it a valuable option."

The Lomonosov Ridge, which marks the edge of Russia's continental shelf, has been used by the country to assert a claim over the Arctic. According to the BBC in 2020, Russia, Denmark (through Greenland) and Canada have all attempted to stake a claim on the ridge and, by extension, a portion of the Arctic.

Under the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea, a country that establishes its claim gains an exclusive economic zone of approximately 200 miles, which grants the country rights to fishing, infrastructure development, and resource extraction, among other privileges.

In 2023, over two million tons of "transit cargo" were shipped through the Arctic, breaking the record, but Montgomery emphasized that companies cannot simply use their existing ships in the region.

"Montgomery advised that the success of building great infrastructure depends on the availability of better satellite, GPS, and communications coverage. He stated that when these proliferate, it would be possible to expand the associated infrastructure."