In its quest to become a global superpower, China has regularly become entangled in territorial disputes with its neighbors, butting up against international law.
But there's one region on its radar with fewer rivals and where the rules are still being decided: the polar Arctic.
China sees an opportunity in the Arctic's expansive sea of melting ice. Beijing has begun pushing for a greater stake in the region with a view to opening new trade routes, exploring for oil and gas and conducting research on climate change, experts say.
Geographically, China is nowhere near the Arctic Circle, which puts the Asian powerhouse at a major political disadvantage compared to eight countries that make up the Arctic Council, all of whom have territory inside the Arctic Circle.
Council members are divided on China's growing interest in the region. Some smaller economies like Iceland and Norway see an opportunity, others with a strategic interest like Russia and Canada are growing wary.
China isn't the only non-Arctic state interested in the region but it is by far the biggest, China and polar region expert Marc Lanteigne of Massey University in New Zealand told CNN.
In 2013 it joined India, South Korea, Japan and Singapore in gaining non-voting observer status on the Council.
"Overall, there's been the acceptance that China is going to be a player there, but there is still some concern about the ambiguity to what China's endgame is," Lanteigne said.