; (B) Arctic sea lanes could become the 21st century Suez and Panama Canals ; (C) [w]e're concerned about Russia's claim over the international waters of the Northern Sea Route, including its newly announced plans to connect it with China's Maritime Silk Road ; (D) [i]n the Northern Sea Route, Moscow already illegally demands other nations request permission to pass, requires Russian maritime pilots to be aboard foreign ships, and threatens to use military force to sink any that fail to comply with their demands ; (E) there is a pattern of aggressive Russian behavior here in the Arctic and we know Russian territorial ambitions can turn violent