China has announced that its first atmospheric monitoring station in Antarctica began operations on December 1, 2022, to commemorate World Antarctica Day. The station is part of the Zhongshan station and is the first of its kind to be established by China in Antarctica. The National Atmospheric Background Station will provide continuous and long-term operational observation of the change in atmospheric composition and concentration in Antarctica.
It will also help bolster the global response to climate change, according to the China Meteorological Association. China’s move to boost its presence in the polar region could be part of the country’s aim to become a “polar great power,” a goal mentioned by President Xi Jinping during a speech in November 2014. Experts argue that China’s activities in Antarctica appear to be designed to ensure that the country will not be left out should there be beneficial opportunities in the future.
Nong Hong from the Institute for China-America Studies wrote in a 2021 paper that China has a two-fold approach towards Antarctic governance.
China’s atmospheric monitoring in Antarctica
The country is generally supportive of the Antarctic Treaty System (ATS) while also keen to make its own mark in shaping the future development of the ATS in a manner that promotes China’s interests.
The Antarctic Treaty System is a treaty signed by 12 countries in 1959 to ensure the continent is demilitarized, free of nuclear testing, and a peaceful space for science collaboration. However, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute reports that states are exploiting the treaty and its subordinate protocols to pursue their national interests. Antarctica offers a wide range of natural resources and scientific opportunities, including potential reserves of between 300 and 500 billion tons of natural gas on the continent and 135 billion tons of oil in the Southern Ocean.
This abundance of resources has raised concerns about states’ approaches towards the region in light of the treaty. The launch of the new atmospheric monitoring station comes after 16 years of scientific research and innovation by China. The station is part of the Zhongshan Station, which was established in 1989 and is China’s second research station in Antarctica.
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