China-Russia ties in Arctic keep U.S. and Canada on alert

Alaska and Yukon territory share info as warships and thin-hulled tankers pass by

Liberian-flagged crude oil tanker Shun Tai is seen anchored at the Kozmino terminal in Nakhodka Bay near the Russian port city of Nakhodka. © Reuters

KEN MORIYASU, Nikkei Asia diplomatic correspondent

December 28, 2023 03:47 JST

WASHINGTON -- The deepening partnership between Russia and China in the Arctic region has put authorities in far northwestern U.S. and Canada on their toes, with worries ranging from big groups of warships to the risk of oil spills.

Ranj Pillai, the premier of Canada's westernmost Yukon territory, has formed a four-member panel consisting of expert academics and a retired military officer to examine the international risks the region faces.