Members of China's research team set up an ocean profiling float at a short-term data acquisition location near the icebreaker Xuelong, or Snow Dragon, in the Arctic Ocean, Aug 18, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]

China's Belt and Road Initiative will bring opportunities for parties concerned to jointly build a "Polar Silk Road", and facilitate connectivity and sustainable economic and social development of the Arctic, said a whitepaper issued on Friday.

26日发表的白皮书表示，中国的“一带一路”倡议将为有关各方带来机遇，共建“冰上丝绸之路”，有利于北极地区的互联互通以及可持续经济社会发展。

《中国的北极政策》白皮书(China's Arctic Policy whitepaper)共包括四个部分，分别为北极的形势与变化(The Arctic Situation and Recent Changes)、中国与北极的关系(China and the Arctic)、中国的北极政策目标和基本原则(China's Policy Goals and Basic Principles on the Arctic)、中国参与北极事务的主要政策主张(China's Policies and Positions on Participating in Arctic Affairs)。

白皮书说：

北极资源丰富，但生态环境脆弱。中国倡导保护和合理利用北极，鼓励企业利用自身的资金、技术和国内市场优势，通过国际合作开发利用北极资源。

The Arctic has abundant resources, but a fragile ecosystem. China advocates protection and rational use of the region and encourages its enterprises to engage in international cooperation on the exploration for and utilization of Arctic resources by making the best use of their advantages in capital, technology and domestic market.

中国鼓励企业参与北极航道基础设施建设，依法开展商业试航，稳步推进北极航道的商业化利用和常态化运行。

China encourages its enterprises to participate in the infrastructure construction for the Arctic shipping routes and conduct commercial trial voyages in accordance with the law to pave the way for their commercial and regularized operation.

据白皮书介绍，北极航道(the Arctic shipping routes)包括东北航道(the Northeast Passage)、西北航道(Northwest Passage)和中央航道(the Central Passage)。全球变暖使北极航道有望成为国际贸易的重要运输干线(important transport routes for international trade)。