As China’s presence in the Arctic grows, international attention also grows. This paper clarifies China’s interests in the Arctic and touches on future trends in this regard. Beginning with a discussion of China’s recent Arctic capacity building and diplomacy, this paper suggests that China looks north for basically four reasons: it is influenced by environmental changes in the Arctic; it is drawn by the business opportunities arising from the opening of the Arctic passages and better access to Arctic resources; and it is also committed to maintaining good governance in the Arctic — which is also in its best interests. At present, China’s participation in Arctic affairs is limited, but it is preparing to make greater contributions to good governance in the Arctic.
