The Digital Silk Road, Chinese Tool of Influence, Arctic Included?
The Arctic do not elude the extension of the Internet network, supported by fibre optic submarine cables. Several submarine cable projects are in progress, or are already completed in the region. This new route promises a shorter distance, not for the containers this time, but for the transport of data between North America, Europe and Asia. China, which invests in a global Internet infrastructure, The Digital Silk Road, is very interested by this new route and could gain a foothold via the cable project Arctic Connect. In the context of a commercial and technological war between China and the United States, questions arise about the real intentions of China when it comes to this 100 % Chinese Internet network project. The financing and the construction by China of this type of infrastructure, vital for the global economy, might be a means to extend its regional and global influence.