Xinyuan Zhang (Olivia) is a PhD candidate in Political Science at the University of Lapland with a background in international relations and media studies. Before transitioning to research in Europe, she spent nearly eight years reporting on economic, political, and technology news in China for an international audience. Her research explores China’s economic engagement in the Arctic and Nordic regions, BRICS involvement in polar affairs, and China’s AI policies. She has contributed to projects on China’s evolving policies in the critical minerals industry and their impact on Norway, as well as China’s domestic discourse and actions in the Bering Strait and Bering Sea.
E-mail: xinzhang@ulapland.fi