Introduction

This chapter introduces the primary objective of the book – locating the Arctic within the broader Chinese national strategy of the Great Rejuvenation of the Chinese Nation, spearheaded by the General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party, Xi Jinping, since 2012. The chapter further outlines the factors driving the increasing global significance of the Arctic and the interests of extra-regional states like China. These factors include ongoing environmental changes, the region’s economic and commercial potential, and the growing great power competition. The chapter then presents Chinese engagement with the Arctic since the late 1990s, along with the expansion of China’s regional interests under the leadership of Xi Jinping. This expansion encompasses scientific, commercial, and political aspects. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the Chinese and English language sources used in the process of writing the book and summaries of the remaining five chapters.