5th CNARC Symposium 2017

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Keynote speech of Mr. Gao Feng at the opening ceremony of the 5^th China-Nordic Arctic Cooperation Symposium (May 25^th, 2017, Dalian)

Your Excellency President Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, Vice Administrator Mr Lin Shanqing,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good Morning, everyone. It is my honor to attend the 5th China-Nordic Arctic Cooperation Symposium to discuss the theme “Towards the Future: Trans-regional Cooperation in the Arctic Development and Protection ”with all of you here, jointly depicting the harmonious blueprint of the Arctic with the aim of “respect, cooperation, win-win, sustainable development”

Firstly, I would like to extend the warmest congratulations to the successful convocation of the 5^th China-Nordic Arctic Cooperation Symposium. In the past five years, the China-Nordic Arctic Cooperation Symposium has already become the significant platform of discussing Arctic issues between China and Nordic states and jointly promoting Arctic substantive cooperation, which effectively enhances mutual trust and cooperation, as well as plays a positive role to keep the peace, stability and sustainable development of the Arctic region.

In recent years, China and Nordic states have actively participated the global governance and the international regulation formulation process, explored the solutions to the Arctic trans-regional and global problems, and contributed the wisdom to the wide scope of fields including the Arctic science, climate change and environment protection. From 2016 to now, China has accomplished the 7^th scientific expedition on the Arctic Ocean; attended multilateral mechanisms like the executive meeting and ministerial meeting of Arctic Council, Arctic Circle, Arctic Frontiers and the Central Arctic Ocean Fisheries Management; sent experts to participate the Protection of the Arctic Marine Environment, Conservation of Arctic Flora & Fauna, the Meeting of the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program and the Task Force for Enhancing Scientific Cooperation in the Arctic; actively carried out bilateral dialogues to discuss the Arctic issues with Arctic and Non-Arctic states. The positive progress of the Arctic cooperation has become the priority areas of China-Nordic cooperation. The main building of the China-Iceland Joint Aurora Observatory has completed, the Artic submarine fiber optic cable project has been discussed between China and Finland, the recovery of Arctic affairs dialogue mechanism between China and Norway is on the agenda since the normalization of China-Norway relations. China also keeps good communication with Denmark and Sweden on Arctic affairs.

China is closely linked with the Arctic trans-regional and global issues. The close communication and cooperation between China and the Nordic states on the Arctic issues, is not only the beneficial exploration to the Arctic problems for Arctic stakeholders, but also the significant way to effectively participate in the Arctic governance, promote the development of the Arctic region and protect the Arctic from the perspective of the non-Arctic states. Finland just toke over the chairman of the Arctic Council at the tenth ministerial meeting of Arctic Council, and we are looking forward that this will inject fresh impetus to China-Nordic Arctic cooperation in the future. In the next phase, China would like to enhance the communication and cooperation with the Nordic states from the following aspects.

Firstly, China will actively participate the Arctic multilateral mechanism. During the period when Finland takes the chair of the Arctic Council, China will further enhance the substantial participation in the tasks of Arctic Council working groups, follow up the implementation of Agreement on Enhancing International Arctic Scientific Cooperation, take science research as the priority and enhance the talent input to the Arctic Council. Moreover, China will deeply participate multilateral platforms such as Arctic Circle and Arctic Frontiers, maintain constructive interaction with all parties, and continue to expand the depth and breadth of cooperation.

Secondly, China will constantly facilitate the Arctic bilateral talks. China attaches importance to maintain the constructive interaction with Arctic and non-Arctic countries, develop the bilateral negotiation in terms of Arctic issues with Nordic states, set up the dialogue mechanism about sea laws and polar affairs with various non-Arctic states in order to share the policies, practice and experience about Arctic international cooperation and scientific research. China and Nordic states have frequent interactions especially since this year, China has all-round development with Nordic states and the Arctic cooperation becomes more deep and solid. China is looking forward to develop the more comprehensive and in-depth communication and cooperation with Nordic states in the near future.

Thirdly, China will exploit new cooperation fields in the Arctic and enrich the Arctic cooperation modes. Based on the scientific research, China would like to strengthen the cooperation in various fields such as climate change, environment protection, shipping, resource exploration and information infrastructure building. China will support the enterprises and research institutes to give full play to their advantages to participate the Arctic governance; support the dialogue and conversation between Chinese research institutes and foreign think tanks; encourage enterprises to participate the commercial development and utilization in the Arctic region; enrich and innovate the cooperation modes with Arctic states, and develop the inclusive, all-round and diversified cooperation, so as to promote the development of the Arctic region and contribute to an all-win result under the premise of the peace and stability of the Arctic region.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the future of the Arctic is concerned with the well-being of mankind, so the protection and rational utilization of the Arctic is the significant mission faced by the international community. I wish that China-Nordic Arctic Cooperation Symposium will consistently make constructive contribution to the China-Nordic Arctic multi-domains cooperation. And I sincerely hope that the symposium will be held successfully and achieved positive outcome! Thank you!

Wednesday 24 May 2017

15:30-17:15  Assembly of CNARC Member Institutes

18:00-20:00  Welcome Reception

Thursday 25 May 2017

9:00-9:05  Welcome Remarks

9:05-10:20  Plenary Speeches 

• Mr. Lin Shanqing, Vice Administrator, State Oceanic Administration of China
• HE Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, President of Iceland (1996-2016) and Chair of the Arctic Circle
• Mr. Gao Feng, Special Representative for Arctic Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China
• Mr. Rene Söderman, Senior Arctic Official, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Finland
• Mrs. Anniken Ramberg Krutnes, SAO, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Norway
• Mr. Tómas Orri Ragnarsson, Counselor of Arctic Affairs, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Iceland

10:20-10:45  Group photo & coffee break

10:45-12:00  Keynote Presentations

• Mr. Cai Meijiang, Director of COSCO Safety & Technology Supervision Division, China COSCO Shipping - Arctic Shipping – COSCO’s utilization of Arctic Sea Routes
• Mr. Heidar Gudjonsson, Chairman of Icelandic Arctic Chamber of Commerce - Infrastructure and the Arctic: Why Belt and Road Initiative should include the Arctic?
• Mr. Arne Walther, Associate Fellow at Fridtjof Nansen Institute, Norway, Former First Secretary General of the International Energy Agency - The Arctic in a Changing Global Energy Landscape
• Prof. Markus Rex, Head of Atmospheric Physics, Alfred Wegener Institute - Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate (MOSAIC) – IASC flagship program

12:00-13:00  Lunch

13:00-14:20  Session I moderated by LI Zhenfu. Theme: Europe-Asia Connectivity: Promoting the Potential Utilization of Arctic Sea Route

14:20-14:40  Coffee break

14:40-16:00 Session II moderated by Timo Koivurova. Theme: Arctic Shipping: Safety and Synergy

16:00-16:20  Coffee break

16:20-17:40  Session III moderated by Peter Sköld. Theme: Trans-Arctic Interactions and Compatibility of Arctic Strategies and Policies

19:00-21:00  Symposium Dinner

Friday 26 May 2017

8:30-9:40  Session IV moderated by YANG Jian. Theme: Geopolitical Development of the Arctic in the Changing World

9:40-9:50  Coffee break

9:50-11:10  Session V moderated by Þorsteinn Gunnarsson. Theme: Arctic Sustainability: Climate Change, Indigenous Communities and Eco-tourism

11:10-11:20  Coffee break

11:20-12:30  Session VI moderated by GUO Peiqing. Theme: Exploring the Way forward in Arctic Ocean: Scientific Cooperation and Fishery Governance

12:30-12:40  Closing remarks

12:40-13:30  Lunch

14:00-17:30  CNARC Roundtable 2017. Theme: “Arctic Shipping and Port Cities” – Invited Presentations and Discussions

19:00-21:00  Dinner 

Saturday 27 May 2017

Departure from Dalian

Thursday 25 May 2017 Session I: Europe-Asia Connectivity: Promoting the Potential Utilization of Arctic Sea Route

GUO Peiqing from China Ocean University - Comparative Study on Hinge Harbor on the Atlantic Side: Finna Fjord, Kirkenes and Murmank / Arkhangelsk?

Bjørn Gunnarsson from Nord University Business School - Arctic Shipping: Current & Future Investments in the NSR’s Maritime Infrastructure

MI Chenxi from China Institute of Marine Affairs - International Cooperation on the Sustainable Development and Utility on the Arctic Shipping Routes

Alexandr Voronenko from Khabaraovsk State University of Economics and Law - The perspectives of Sino-Russian cooperation in the sphere of Northern Sea Route development and commercial use

Young-Sook Lee from The Arctic University of Norway (UiT) - Northern Arctic Sea Rout for sustainable Arctic tourism: opportunities and challenges

25 May 2017 Session II: Arctic Shipping: Safety and Synergy

Valur Ingimundarsson from University of Iceland - Maritime Risks and Arctic Regional Security: Icelandic Perspectives

Halldór Jóhannsson from Arctic Portal - Current, integrated and interpreted information and data as a bases for safe and economic utilization of Arctic Sea-Routes

LI Ying from Dalian Maritime University - Spatial Information Technology for development and protection of marine traffic environment in the Arctic Ocean

Uffe Jakobsen from University of Copenhagen - Higher Levels of Environmental and Human Security through Trans-regional Co-operation on Arctic Shipping

HAN Jialin from Dalian Maritime University - Non-governmental organizations’ influence on tackling black carbon in the shipping industry

25 May 2017 Session III: Trans-Arctic Interactions and Compatibility of Arctic Strategies and Policies

XUE Guifan & HE Liu from Shanghai Jiao Tong University - Under the Belt and Road Initiative: a New Way of Thinking for China’s Engagement in the Arctic Governance?

Marc Lanteigne from Massey University - A China-Nordic ‘5+1’ Diplomatic Model and the Role of the Arctic

ZHAO Long from Shanghai Institutes for International Studies - Key elements of policy coordination and strategydocking in Arctic cooperation

BAI Jiayu from China Ocean University - Research on the Legal System about Arctic Cooperation with the Good Governance Ideal: A View for China 's Effective Participation

Þorsteinn Gunnarsson from Icelandic Centre for Research (RANNÍS) - Arctic strategies and policies in higher education and research: Are there lessons to be learned from Nordic and European Union cooperation in these fields? 

Friday 26 May 2017 Session IV: Geopolitical Development of the Arctic in the Changing World

Lassi Heininen from University of Lapland - Global relevance of the Nordic countries and ‘Nordicity’

Liisa Kauppila & Rasmus Bertelsen from University of Turku & The Arctic University of Norway (UiT) - Changing Geopolitics of the Arctic Region: The Yamal LNG Project as a Case of Functional Regionalization

ZHANG Yao from Shanghai Institutes for International Studies - Global Geopolitical changes and the Arctic cooperation between Nordic countries and China

Camilla Sørensen from University of Copenhagen - How relations with China play into the Arctic-strategy of the Kingdom of Denmark

26 May 2017 Session V: Arctic Sustainability: Climate Change, Indigenous Communities and Eco-tourism

Goerild Heggelund from Fridtjof Nansen Institute - China's climate policy: does an Arctic dimension exist?

XIA Liping from Tong Ji University - Relations between Sustainable China and Sustainable Arctic

Iselin Stensdal from Fridtjof Nansen Institute - Chinese involvement in the Isua iron-ore mine project on Greenland: making a mountain of a molehill?

Anders Oskal from International Centre fro Reindeer Husbandry - Connecting the Indigenous Arctic: Northern Sea-routes, Food Empowerment and Local Economies under Rapid Change

Daniela Tommasini & ZHOU Shenghan from University of Lapland - Visiting an Arctic destination: Greenland. A Comparative Study on Chinese and European Tourists

26 May 2017 Session VI: Exploring the Way forward in Arctic Ocean: Scientific Cooperation and Fishery Governance

Kenneth Ruud from The Arctic University of Norway (UiT) - The Nansen LEGACY – a major research project beyond the present ice edge

ZOU Leilei from Shanghai Ocean University - The Central Arctic Ocean Fisheries Management and China’s Response and Strategy------ Implications from the Central Bering Sea Pollock Resources Conservation 

Paul Wassmann from The Arctic University of Norway (UiT) - Fisheries at high seas in the Arctic Ocean towards the end of the century 

CHENG Baozhi from Shanghai Institutes for International Studies - From A5 to A5+: Paradigm Shift of Arctic Fishery Governance and China's Policy Development

CNARC Roundtable 2017 - Theme: “Arctic Shipping and Port Cities” – Invited Presentations and Discussions

Chairs:

• Yang Huigen, Director-General of the Polar Research Institute of China (PRIC) and CNARC
• PAN Xinxiang, Vice President, Dalian Maritime University (DMU)

Moderators:

• Felix Tschudi, Chairman of the Board, Tschudi Shipping Company & CHNL
• Cai Meijiang, Deputy General Manager, Specialized Carriers, China COSCO Shipping

Invited opening and chair’s remarks:

• HE Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, President of Iceland (1996-2016) and Chair of the Arctic Circle
• Yang Huigen, Director-General of PRIC and CNARC

Invited Presenters:

• Felix Tschudi, Chairman of the Board, Tschudi Shipping Company and the Center for High North Logistics
• Kuno Fencker, Chairman, Royal Arctic Line
• Hafsteinn Helgason EFLA / Bremerhaven Port
• Mead Treadwell, President, PT Capital & Chairman, Arctic Circle Task Force on Shipping and Ports
• Eiríkur Björn Björgvinsson, Mayor of Akureyri 
• Huang Youfang, Chairman of China Institute of Navigation and President of Shanghai Maritime University
• Song Dexing, General Manager of SINOTRANS & CSC Holdings Co., Ltd.
• Jiao Yingguang, Conducting Center Director of Dalian Port
• Huang Xuchun, Head of Contract and Legal Affairs Division, China - Russia Cooperation Department of China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC)
• Li Yanqing, Chairman, ISO/TC8 (Ships and Marine Technology)
• Li Zhenfu, Dalian Maritime University
• Tang Wenhua, Shanghai Fisheries General Corporation introduction video

Invited Commentators:

• Gao Feng, Special Representative for Arctic Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China
• Halldór Jóhannsson, Director of Arctic Portal
• Kjell Stokvik, Managing Director, CHNL, Nord University Business School
• Jenny Yang, Vice President of General Nice Development Limited
• Sigmundur Ófeigsson, Managing Director, Eyjafjordur Business Development Agency
• Guanglie Yang, Director – Technological & Business Development, ABS
• Anders Oskal, Executive Director, International Centre for Reindeer Husbandry
• Heiðar Guðjónsson, Managing Director of Ursus Investments, Chairman of Eykon Energy, Vodafone Iceland and the Icelandic Arctic Chamber of
  Commerce