China to begin building first permanent airfield in Antarctica
- Country has been using Russian facility as its home base in the frozen continent
- Airstrip is expected to be completed in a few years
China will soon begin building its first permanent airfield in Antarctica, according to state media, as Beijing tries to expand its influence in the polar region.
The 1,500-metre airstrip will be located on an ice cap in the continent’s east, 28km from the country’s Zhongshan Station in the Larsemann Hills by Prydz Bay, the official Science and Technology Daily reported on Sunday.
“It will provide a foundation for operating large aircraft, creating multiplane services, and building an Antarctic air traffic network in the future,” the report said.
At the moment, China has only one fixed-wing plane that can fly to the polar regions. But its researchers working in Antarctica want to have independent logistics to support their work, according to the report.
The newspaper also quoted an insider as saying that building a permanent airstrip would connect scientific research to the country’s Antarctic strategy.
“It would also mean China could have a say in the international management of Antarctic air space,” the person said.