Satellite photographs show that Beijing is expanding its Antarctic footprint, which has raised concerns for New Delhi and its Western allies about China’s growing influence in the Indian Ocean. A Washington-based think tank has compiled data based on fresh satellite imagery that implies that work has started again on China’s fifth station in the southern polar region for the first time since 2018. After a lengthy building pause, the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) research published on Tuesday revealed that China is now making “significant progress” in Antarctica.
The observatory should enable China to “fill in a major gap” in its access to the continent: Experts
China is not alone in its desire to establish new shipping lanes in the Arctic and increase its research in Antarctica; other nations with research facilities in the region include the United States, the United Kingdom, and South Korea. However, the growing Chinese presence in the Arctic areas has alarmed Western countries since it may provide the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) with more surveillance power.
The proposed station, on Inexpressible Island near the Ross Sea, is anticipated to have an observatory with a satellite ground station, according to the CSIS assessment. According to experts and observers, the observatory should enable China to “fill in a major gap” in its access to the continent. The CSIS crew used satellite imagery from January to locate new support buildings, temporary structures, a helicopter pad and the foundations for a larger main building at the 5,000 square metre station. According to the article, construction might be completed by 2024.
CSIS said, “While the station can provide tracking and communications for China’s growing array of scientific polar observation satellites, its equipment can concurrently be used for intercepting other nations’ satellite communications.”