Neighbourhood Watch: Is China Developing Military Base In Antarctica? Why That Is A Worrying Factor

The icy continent of Antarctica belongs to none and open only for nations to conduct scientific activities for peaceful purposes. Since the Chinese base is located about 200 km away from the largest and oldest American McMurdo base, the American military would also be tempted to erect additional structures to counter the Chinese facilities. But western observers opine that like South China Sea, where China has usurped the United Nation’s convention on Law of the Sea, Beijing could do the same with International Antarctic Treaty, signed in 1959, and use the surveillance facilities for military purposes. But China’s real intent can be gauged from President Xi Jinping's decade old direction to top officials: “.Understand, protect, and use the southern hemisphere to China’s advantage.” The US defence headquarters Pentagon had in its last year’s report said new Chinese infrastructure was probably intended in part to strengthen its future claims to natural resources and maritime access and improve PLA facilities. China’s new station is only 200 miles away from the US McMurdo research base, situated in the Ross Sea area, the largest on the continent.