# Ep 12: Iselin Stensdal: The Myth of China's Arctic Ambitions

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/borders-conversations-on-global-south-capital-and-geopolitics-7872364/ep-12-iselin-stensdal-the-myth-of-china-s-arctic-ambitions
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/borders-conversations-on-global-south-capital-and-geopolitics-7872364/ep-12-iselin-stensdal-the-myth-of-china-s-arctic-ambitions.md
Podcast: [Borders: Conversations on Global South Capital and Geopolitics](https://stenobird.com/podcast/borders-conversations-on-global-south-capital-and-geopolitics-7872364)
Published: 2026-07-28T13:44:00+00:00
Episode link: https://ad96190b-f614-4ba6-ac31-26ffbdc6d90b.libsyn.com/ep-12-iselin-stensdal-the-myth-of-chinas-arctic-ambitions
Audio file: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/ad96190b-f614-4ba6-ac31-26ffbdc6d90b/Borders_Podcast_-_Iselin_Stensdal_-_The_Myth_of_Chinas_Arctic_Ambitions_-_Mix.mp3?dest-id=5317560
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Duration seconds: 2868

## Resource

Andrew Henderson sits down with Dr. Iselin Stensdal, Senior Research Fellow at the Fridtjof Nansen Institute, to examine one of today's most misunderstood geopolitical frontiers: the Arctic. While headlines often portray China's growing presence in the region as an existential strategic challenge, Dr. Stensdal argues the reality is considerably more nuanced. Together they unpack why China describes itself as a "near-Arctic state," what Beijing actually hopes to achieve in the region, and why its ambitions may be far more constrained than many Western observers assume. The conversation explores how Russia's invasion of Ukraine fundamentally reshaped Arctic cooperation, how climate change is opening new shipping routes and commercial opportunities, and why Greenland has become one of the world's most strategically contested territories. Andrew and Iselin also discuss the future of Arctic governance, the role of observer states such as India, Japan, and Singapore, Europe's evolving relationship with both China and the United States, and whether the Arctic is becoming another arena for great-power competition—or simply reflecting geopolitical tensions already unfolding elsewhere. Along the way, they examine LNG, shipping routes, critical minerals, Svalbard, NATO expansion, indigenous rights, climate policy, and the commercial realities behind the headlines surrounding the "race for the Arctic." In this episode, Andrew and Iselin discuss: - Why China's Arctic ambitions are often overstated—and what Beijing actually wants from the region. - How the Arctic Council has governed the High North and why Russia's invasion of Ukraine transformed Arctic cooperation. - Greenland's growing strategic importance and why both investment and sovereignty have become central geopolitical qu…

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