China and Russia on Tuesday pushed back against a US warning over their military and economic cooperation in the Arctic, where climate change is opening up greater competition.

Beijing said it acts on the "principles of respect, cooperation, mutual wins and sustainability", adding it's committed to maintaining peace and stability in the region.

"The United States distorts China's Arctic policy and makes thoughtless remarks on China's normal Arctic activities (which are) in accordance with international law," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia "does its part to ensure that the Arctic does not become a territory of discord and tension."

He told reporters that Russia's cooperation with China "contributes to an atmosphere of stability and predictability" in the Arctic, and their actions were not targeted against other countries.

On Monday, US Deputy Secretary of Defence Kathleen Hicks said, "We've seen growing cooperation between the PRC and Russia in the Arctic commercially, with the PRC being a major funder of Russian energy exploitation in the Arctic."

There is also growing military cooperation, "with Russia and China conducting joint exercises off the coast of Alaska," Hicks said as the department released its 2024 Arctic strategy.

Washington's Arctic strategy describes the area as "a strategically important region" for the US that includes "the northern approaches to the homeland" and "significant US defence infrastructure." (Reporting by AFP)