China and Russia Weigh an Irtysh River Route to the Arctic Ocean

According to a report by the Hong Kong based South China Morning Post, published Sunday, 8 Shahrivar 1405 (August 30, 2026), and carried by Iran's Donya-e-Eqtesad (citing Shafaqna), China and Russia are weighing development of an inland shipping route of about 4,248 kilometers along the Irtysh River. The route would start in China's western Xinjiang region, cross Kazakhstan, join Russia's Ob River, and empty into the Arctic Ocean.

According to observers cited in the report, the main goal is to reduce China's current reliance on the Bering Strait for Arctic access, a passage that could become a critical chokepoint for Chinese trade in the event of a US naval blockade or surveillance. The route could also serve as an alternative to the Strait of Malacca. The report said the plan remains at the study stage and faces political and natural obstacles, including the need for dredging and new hydraulic structures roughly every 50 to 100 kilometers.