China is considering developing a cargo route along the Irtysh and Ob rivers that could provide an alternative access to the Arctic and avoid risks associated with US involvement, local media report. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Sputnik Kazakhstan.
The Irtysh originates in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in western China. It flows through Kazakhstan and joins the Ob in Russia, then reaches the Arctic Ocean.
As the newspaper writes, for China this river-sea route could provide access to the resource-rich and strategically important Arctic.
"Most importantly, unlike traditional maritime chokepoints such as the Malacca and Bering Straits, this route avoids naval blockades by Western countries, coastal guard control by foreign states, and US sanctions," the publication notes.
According to Zhao Long, a senior fellow at the Shanghai Institute for International Studies, this project could connect vast territories of Siberia with the Chinese market.
"This aligns with Russia's desire to reduce its transport dependence on Europe amid Western sanctions, and also fits with Russia's broader foreign policy orientation," the expert says.
At the same time, the newspaper notes that turning the river into a major trade artery would be a difficult task. According to them, navigating the river system would not be easy in Siberia's harsh winters.