Two Chinese icebreaker research vessels and a cargo ship set sail today for the Antarctic with more than 460 personnel on board to help complete the construction of China’s fifth station on the world’s southernmost continent. The deployment of China’s most enormous flotilla of research vessels to the Antarctic is a significant step in Beijing’s expanding presence on the continent as its scientific and technological ambitions grow. China is already operating four bases, four field camps, and three airfields in the Antarctic, while a fifth station near the Ross Sea is expected to be completed next year.
The two icebreakers, Xuelong 1 and Xuelong 2, departed from Shanghai carrying personnel and logistical supplies. The cargo ship Tianhui, or “Divine Blessings,” departed from the eastern port of Zhangjiagang carrying construction material for the new base. The expedition is expected to take more than five months.
In addition to constructing the new base, the scientists on board will conduct environmental surveys in various Antarctic regions. The Xuelong 2 is designed specifically for this work and can carry up to 90 crew members and scientists on 60-day voyages over 20,000 nautical miles. It can also cut through ice up to six feet thick.
This new icebreaker is the latest of several China has purchased to support its growing Antarctic program. It will join the MV Xue Long, nicknamed “Snow Dragon,” which has conducted nine Arctic and 34 Antarctic expeditions since 1994. Until now, the Xue Long and another older Russian-built ship have been the only icebreaking vessels in service.
China’s expanding presence in the Antarctic is raising concern in some quarters. A recent report by a Washington-based think tank found that China is increasing its footprint in the region as it seeks to develop shipping routes through the Arctic and expand research in the Antarctic. Some Western governments worry that allowing China to operate bases in the polar region will give the People’s Liberation Army a way to spy on the West.
Chinese officials have consistently denied suggestions that the military will exploit Antarctic bases for espionage. But Brady, who has written a book titled China as a Polar Great Power, says her Chinese contacts and her research show that Beijing views access to both the Arctic and Antarctic as vital for the rollout of its BeiDou satellite navigation system and China’s space science program. She also notes that the Antarctic is essential for acquiring resources, including minerals and hydrocarbons. For these reasons, she believes Beijing has no intention of limiting its activities in the region. (Reporting by John Kestner and Michael Park; Editing by David M. Brown)