China, Pursuing Strategic Interests, Builds Presence in Antarctica

China is extending its global reach under President Xi Jinping, and that includes Antarctica. “He signed a five-year accord with the Australian government that allows Chinese vessels and, in the future, aircraft to resupply for fuel and food before heading south,” reports Jane Perlez for the New York Times. “That will help secure easier access to a region that is believed to have vast oil and mineral resources; huge quantities of high-protein sea life; and for times of possible future dire need, fresh water contained in icebergs.” China is investing in research and access, including four research stations and ice-breakers, while the United States and Australia, with six and three stations, respectively, suffer budget difficulties. The Chinese are also dispatching fishing vessels to the waters near Antarctica, and scientists have embraced the challenge of drilling deep for ice cores that could provide 1.5 million years of climate data. Nations have long cooperated on research in the region, but may be preparing to compete on resource extraction as treaties banning military activity and mining expire in 2048. – YaleGlobal