The paper examined whether China will likely pursue an assertive Arctic policy to protect it sinterests in the Arctic, there by posing a challenge to Arctic governance.The writing of the paper was motivated by the lack of comprehensive analyses in contemporary literature of Chinas Arctic engagement and interests.To gauge Chinas Arctic policy, the paper has considered possible Chinese interests in the Arctic; how the Arctic is debated and viewed in Chinese academia; Chinese government officials statements on the Arctic; the opportunities that exist for China within the current legal and political governing framework in the Arctic;Chinas leverage and political legitimacy in the Arctic as a non-Arctic state; how the Arctic fits in Chinas over all foreign policy, while accounting for the fundamental uncertainty of the Arctics commercial potential.It has been the findings of this paper that China, albe it initially disposed to declare the Arctic a global dominion within which China entertains substantial interests and legitimate rights, has come to acknowledge the sovereign privileges of Arcticstates and the primacy of relevant international law.China has adopted a pragmatic approach to the Arctic, and believes that it stands the best chance at enhancing its influence in the Arctic by supporting and engaging in cooperation, thereby inducing trust in Arctic state and non-state actors.