The matter in summary: A high-ranking Chinese research delegation recently visited the research base in Ny-Ålesund. There have been conflicts between Norway and China about research restrictions on Svalbard, and how the principles of the Svalbard Treaty on the right of free establishment should be interpreted. Defense expert Øystein Tunsjø believes that Norway has handled China’s presence on Svalbard in a wise way. PST has warned of increased Chinese interest in Svalbard, and several properties have been attempted to be bought by Chinese interests. Tunsjø believes Norway must accept China’s presence on Svalbard as part of the Svalbard Treaty, but at the same time use its authority to regulate the activities. He believes that Norway’s ability to protect itself against unwanted activity, including through the Security Act and regulation of research projects, has been effective. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAI. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. Recently, the Police Security Service (PST) warned that they had registered an increased interest in Svalbard from China. This week, at the same time as Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre was visiting China, a Chinese delegation was in Svalbard. There, the delegation, which included Deputy Minister Sun Jinlong, visited Ny-Ålesund in Svalbard. China’s ambassador to Norway, who was part of the delegation, himself describes the visit as: “a continuation of the long-term friendly cooperation between China and Norway on environmental protection and climate change.” State Secretary Kjersti Bjørnstad in the Ministry of Climate and Environment says the Chinese will, among other things, receive information about the Ny-Ålesund research station and the activities there. – And in that connection they will also visit the researchers from the Polar Research Institute of China (PRIC) at the Ny-Ålesund research station. In the same way as such visits by ministers from other countries, these visits signal to us the importance of Ny-Ålesund as a leading research station for climate and environmental research in the Arctic and the international importance of this research in global climate and environmental cooperation, she says . The delegation visited the Norwegian settlement of Ny-Ålesund this week. Conflict and cooperation on Svalbard It is almost five years since the Norwegian authorities were severely reprimanded by the Chinese authorities after new research restrictions on the island were introduced. In addition to setting requirements for exclusively natural science research, the research was to take place in a joint research institution and under the control of the Norwegian Polar Institute. The 20th anniversary of the establishment of China’s research institution, Yellow River, in Ny Ålesund, and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Norway and China were the framework for the visit. Photo: Eivind Molde / news Professor at the Department of Defense Studies at the Norwegian Defense College and expert on China’s international relations, Øystein Tunsjø, says that the conflict is about how the principles of the Svalbard Treaty on the right of free establishment for signatory countries should be interpreted. This is similar to conflicts between Norway and other countries on Svalbard. – The Svalbard Treaty means that Norway must tread carefully. The Norwegian authorities want to avoid too much conflict around Norway’s role as manager of the treaty, and the definition of Svalbard as Norwegian sovereign territory, says Tunsjø and adds: – A perspective that Norway is often alone in, even among most of our own allies. At the same time, Russia has launched its own research initiatives for countries in the BRICS association, where both India, China and Turkey have been invited to join a rival research establishment. This is the Svalbard Treaty International agreement, signed on 9 February 1920 and entered into force on 14 August 1925. Establishes Norway’s “full and unrestricted sovereignty” over Svalbard, including Bjørnøya, and that Norwegian laws and regulations apply to the area. Citizens and companies from all treaty countries have equal rights to entry and residence. They must be able to carry out fishing, trapping and all kinds of commercial activities on equal terms. All activities are subject to the legislation adopted by the Norwegian authorities, but no one can be treated differently on the basis of nationality. Taxes, fees and charges collected shall not exceed what is required to cover the expenses of administration of Svalbard. Svalbard is Norwegian territory, the Atlantic Pact therefore applies to the archipelago. In peacetime, there are no permanent military bases here. During the Second World War, there was a Norwegian garrison on Svalbard for a period. The treaty has today been ratified by 44 countries: Afghanistan, Albania, Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, India, Iceland, Italy, Japan, China , Lithuania, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, North Korea, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Sweden, South Africa, South Korea, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, USA, Venezuela and Austria. Source: NTB As recently as the end of August, Chinese and Turkish researchers visited the Russian mining town of Barentsburg on Svalbard, following an invitation from the Russian Polar Institute. – We have common interests and ways to develop further cooperation. We should design a system where Russian and Chinese scientists can visit our countries’ science stations, said Tiejun Ling, deputy director of the Chinese Arctic and Antarctic Administration. This according to High North, which quotes Russian media. The Indian minister for scientific research, Kiren Rijiju, visited Ny-Ålesund in June 2023. Photo: Kiren Rijiju’s official twitter account Hunting property in Svalbard Jon Fitje Hoffmann, special adviser to the Governor, recently confirmed to Svalbardposten that there have been several Chinese acquisition attempts of Norwegian property on Svalbard. This applies to both homes, cottages and commercial property. In addition, China wants to build a laser station in Adventdalen. – Some of this has been openly and publicly known, while other cases we have become aware of through various contacts, he told the newspaper. China itself has rejected PST’s claim that Chinese actors have, with a desire for increased influence in the Arctic, tried to buy Norwegian property on Svalbard. Professor Tunsjø explains that it is natural that China has a global interest in researching the climate changes affecting the Arctic, as this can provide valuable information about the ice change in the Northeast Passage. – At the same time, there is a concern related to the fact that China’s research activities may have a dual purpose. While research is important for climate monitoring, there are also fears that China could use its presence for other purposes, such as military intelligence or seabed mapping. China’s embassy strongly denies that Norwegians have anything to fear from a Chinese presence on the archipelago. – China has always participated in Arctic affairs in accordance with international law, and is obliged to maintain close cooperation with all parties, including Norway, writes the embassy. After news’s revelation that Søre Fagerfjord, south of Barentsburg, was controlled by a Russian woman – the owners believed that Chinese buyers were highly relevant. Øystein Tunsjø is a professor at the Department of Defense Studies at the Norwegian Armed Forces College. He is an expert on international relations, with a particular focus on China, American foreign policy and geopolitical conditions in the Arctic. Photo: Inger Kristine Lee Wants to strengthen cooperation with the Chinese Director of the Norwegian Polar Institute, Camilla Brekke, personally welcomed the Chinese delegation in Ny-Ålesund. She believes that the Chinese are an important contributor to the research environment there. – Researchers at the Norwegian Polar Institute co-publish with Chinese researchers. It is precisely joint research projects and scientific publications that we want to achieve with this collaboration, she tells news. The Chinese embassy believes the visit this week is intended to mark an extension of a period of increased Norwegian-Chinese research contact. – In June this year, Norway’s Minister of Climate and Environment, Andreas Bjelland Eriksen, visited China successfully and met the Chinese Minister of Ecology and Environment, Huang Runqiu, writes the embassy in an email to news. They also refer to the fact that State Secretary in the Ministry of Climate and Environment, Sigrun Gjerløw Aasland, was invited to participate in the 8th ministerial meeting on climate action (MoCA) in China. VISIT: Geir Gotaas, State Secretary Kjersti Bjørnstad, Deputy Minister Sun Jinlong, Camilla Brekke and Fredrik Theisen in the Ministry of Climate and Environment. Photo: The Polar Institute – Norway must accept China’s presence Professor Tunsjø emphasizes that Norway must accept China’s presence on Svalbard as part of the Svalbard Treaty, but at the same time use its authority to regulate the activities. – Norway’s ability to protect itself against unwanted activity, including through the Security Act and regulation of research projects, has been effective. He believes this position is particularly important at a time when China’s presence in the Arctic is increasing, while at the same time Norway must navigate the relationship between its allies and China. news has recently revealed that the Chinese state shipping company Cosco has expressed its wish to establish itself in the port area of Kirkenes. He believes that a Chinese presence in the Arctic does not have to be exclusively negative. – The big question is how much Norway should facilitate China’s presence, not only in Svalbard, but also in strategically important areas such as establishment in the port of Kirkenes. – This opens up a larger discussion about Norway’s relationship with China, which has been characterized by cooperation, competition and confrontation. Tunsjø emphasizes that Norway must accept China’s presence on Svalbard as part of the Svalbard Treaty, but at the same time use its authority to regulate the activities. – Norway’s ability to protect itself against unwanted activity, including through the Security Act and regulation of research projects, has been effective until now, he believes. Published 13.09.2024, at 21.41
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– Norway must tread carefully – news Troms and Finnmark
