Conclusion 143

China depends on close co-operation with Russia to transit the Arctic through the Northern Sea Route. Mr Lanteigne noted that China’s Arctic white paper referred not only to the Northern Sea Route, which runs along the coast of Russia, but also the central Arctic route, which at present does not exist as an established route and is largely inaccessible to shipping due to ice coverage. 163 There is a long-term risk that Chinese factory trawlers could access North Atlantic and Arctic fishing grounds by going back and forth across the pole—which would have significant ecological impacts and affect local fish stocks. Western push-back