Čínské zájmy v Arktidě a jejich proměny v 21. století

This thesis examines the transformation of Chinese interests in the Arctic and traces how China, throughout 21st century, has justified its presence in the region in its official discourse. The scholarly literature has devoted considerable attention to what Beijing actually does in the region, yet it has been less systematic in examining the arguments through which China itself explains and legitimises its presence. The research question emerges from this gap and asks how Chinese interests in the Arctic have evolved, through what narratives China has justified its engagement, and to what extent these shifts are connected to the broader reorientation of its foreign policy. Theoretically, the analysis draws on critical geopolitics, which also serves as the basis for its analytical categories. Methodologically, it employs a structuring qualitative content analysis of governmental and strategic documents. The primary source is the 2018 white paper China's Arctic Policy, complemented by statements from other state bodies and secondary literature. The period under examination is divided into three phases that trace the shift of the Chinese narrative from scientific and climate responsibility (2000–2012), through economic cooperation and infrastructure-building (2013–2017), to legal argumentation and claims to participation in the region's governance (from 2018 onwards). The findings show that new arguments in Chinese discourse did not replace the existing framework but gradually supplemented it. China's Arctic policy thus reflects the broader transformation of its foreign policy, in which Beijing increasingly presents itself as a global actor — a development that Western states observe with growing caution.