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The Pentagon said in a report on Monday that it feared Moscow
and China's actions in the Arctic could impact regional
stability, noting that Russia has reopened hundreds of
Soviet-era military sites there while China is eyeing mineral
resources and new shipping routes.
"Increasingly, the (People's Republic of China) and Russia are
collaborating in the Arctic across multiple instruments of
national power," the Pentagon's report said.
"While significant areas of disagreement between the PRC and
Russia remain, their growing alignment in the region is of
concern, and (the Department of Defense) continues to monitor
this cooperation," it added.
The Kremlin, when asked about the Pentagon report, said on
Tuesday that some its contents had a confrontational flavor, and
that Russia's cooperation with China aimed only to foster
stability.
"The Arctic is also a strategic area for our country. Russia
takes a responsible position and contributes to ensuring that
the Arctic does not become a territory of discord and a
territory of tension," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
"In this regard, Russian-Chinese cooperation in the Arctic zone
can only contribute to an atmosphere of stability and
predictability in the Arctic.
"Russian-Chinese cooperation is never directed against third
countries or groups of third countries, but is aimed only at
protecting the interests of these countries (Russia and China)",
Peskov said.
Beijing and Moscow have been working together to develop Arctic
shipping routes as Russia seeks to deliver more oil and gas to
China amid Western sanctions.
(Reporting by Reuters; Writing by Lucy Papachristou; Editing by
Andrew Osborn)
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