China is set to build a fifth research station in Antarctica, nearing the end of its decade-long site establishment process. The new station, set to be built on Inexpressible Island in the Ross Ocean area, 320 kilometers from the US McMurdo base will have significant research value due to its unique natural conditions.
China has set up four research bases in Antarctica over the last 30 years. The Great Wall station was the very first to open in 1985. The Zhongshan station, based in the Prydz Bay region opened shortly after in 1989. The interior Kunlun station, completed in 2008, has only been operational for ten years due to constantly accumulating snow. Taishan Station, much like Kunlun Station, will be open for 15 years for the same reason.
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China’s Antarctic Exploration and Treaty Obligations.
As a member of the 33rd Antarctic expedition team, Dr. Zhang Qiao’s major responsibility was to perform geological observations in the Ross Ocean, which included collecting seafloor samples. Despite the harsh environment, she claims that the Inexpressible Island held significant research value due to its unique natural conditions. Dr. Yuan Yuan, Zhang’s colleague, explained to Chinese news sources that the Antarctica investigation of China is quite mature. China’s four stations have different functions and the fifth will be built soon. Both life and research support are extensive, whether on land or in the sea, which aids research.
All members of the expedition, according to Dr. Yuan, departing for the region, they must first learn the rules and standards of the Antarctic Treaty System (ATS). The ATS, implemented since 1961 is an international treaty signed by 56 countries that establishes guidelines for areas such as equipment, waste disposal, and litter. There can be no waste in the ocean or on land. All waste must be airlifted back out from the South Pole.
China’s Antarctica expansion: Research or spying operation?
The Chinese government has maintained that the expeditions to Antarctica are for research purposes only. However, a Washington-based think tank believes that the new station could double as a spying operation. According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Due to its location, the station may be able to collect signals intelligence from US allies Australia and New Zealand, as well as telemetry data from rockets launched from newly built space facilities in both nations.
China is said to be undergoing the “most significant” expansion of its footprint in Antarctica. While the United States continues to enjoy the largest presence on the continent, Beijing is fast expanding. Its four existing stations will all be extended. The assets of the Zhongshan Station could be used to gather intelligence on foreign forces in the Indian Ocean, notably the joint US-UK Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia. It may also assist in monitoring India’s increasing naval forces that operate there in the region.
The new research station is set to be completed in 2024. China is set to have a “freer hand” exploring the south pole, having faced more challenges in establishing a footprint in the northern Arctic. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) argues that its excursions to Antarctica are only for scientific purposes. However, According to the US Department of Defense, the CCP plans to develop “dual-use technology, infrastructure, and scientific research,” all with the goal of boosting the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s capabilities. China’s construction of its fifth research station in Antarctica is set to mark the end of a decade-long site selection process.
