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OPINION:
America is in an age of existential competition. The stakes are high, the competition is stiff and two of our biggest challengers are teaming up to beat us. China and Russia appear to cooperate in their efforts in the global race to the Arctic, and we should be as well.
It is no secret that China and Russia want to expand their influence and undermine the free world. They have been at it for decades, and the quest for global power is as old as human nature. In many ways, we are well aware of our challenges. Russia’s attempt to expand its size, strength and influence back into the Soviet Bloc is one example. Others include China’s efforts to expand its soft power influence into Africa and Latin America. Meanwhile, the cyberspace capabilities of both countries have engaged us in an arms race for the digital age.
Another arena of global rivalry lies immediately to our north, though most people think of it merely as a daunting frozen wilderness with icebergs and polar bears. Yes, it has all those things and so much more. The Arctic is a land of opportunity. Beneath the snow, ice and permafrost is a kind of global gold rush slowly opening itself to the rest of the world, and whoever wins the race to claim it will write a tremendous amount of this century’s remaining history.
The Arctic Sea is warming faster than the rest of the Earth. In practical terms, a mother lode of natural and mineral resources in the region is becoming increasingly accessible, as are potential trade routes that can be forged through once-unnavigable waters.
The U.S. Geological Survey estimates that the Arctic contains 15% of the world’s untapped oil reserves and a whopping 30% of the world’s undiscovered natural gas. Beyond that, the region has an abundance of critical minerals, rare earth elements and other precious and base metals, the development of which is essential for our economic growth and national defense.
As regards our national security specifically, our adversaries have brazenly reminded us of the region’s strategic importance to all parties involved.
After the Cold War, the U.S. and Russian military presence in the region faded. Now Russia’s presence is ticking back up, as is China’s. In July, NORAD intercepted two Chinese bombers and two Russian bombers, all nuclear-capable, during a joint exercise in international airspace near Alaska. This was the first time the two global powers had conducted a joint exercise like that in the northern Pacific, and it is unlikely to be the last.
Arctic cooperation between China and Russia goes well beyond military exercises. The two have been working together for almost two years on a partnership to build more infrastructure along the Northern Sea Route, a critical Arctic shipping lane. Naturally, a thawing Arctic means a literal ocean of new economic opportunities for whoever capitalizes on them. More goods traveling to the market in less time means more prosperity. However, this prospect also comes with national security considerations. In August 2023, both countries sailed a fleet of warships through the passage into the Pacific, passing close to Alaska’s Aleutian Islands.
We may be behind in this race, but we don’t have to stay there. The good news is that Alaska is America’s foothold in this critical competition for our prosperity and security, and we’re open for business. We have 49 critical minerals, and our workforce has the technical know-how and experience to develop these further. As the Trump administration nullifies the anti-energy and anti-business regulations of the previous administration, as more investment comes in and more wealth creation results from it, Alaska and America will benefit together.
When Alaska gained full statehood, America became an Arctic nation. As such, we should be fully engaged. At the closest point on the Bering Sea, we are 53 miles from Russia, so we will be deeply and immediately impacted by this global showdown. In the long run, winning the race to the Arctic will be key to restoring America’s greatness. We cannot afford second place.
• Bob Griffin is a Future49 board member whose family has lived in Alaska since 1899. He flew the A-10 and F-15 for the Air Force and Alaska Airlines and has served on the Alaska State Board of Education and as chair of the Budget Advisory Commission for Anchorage. He is also the senior education research fellow for the Alaska Policy Forum and a member of its board of directors.
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