PremiumJeffrey Gettleman, Jenny Gross and Lily KuoNew York Times·9 Sep, 2026 02:39 AM5 mins to readThe Chinese cargo ship Dubai Tower in Ningbo, China, in August. This week, it is finishing a journey to England by going north through the Arctic Ocean. Photo / CN-STR / AFPMelting ice is opening a trade route through the Arctic. China has begun the first regular service, part of its polar ambitions.For years, China has been talking a big game about the Arctic.
The country lies far from the Arctic Circle – more than 1285km – but still, it
