How Chinese access to Chilean port could give Antarctic exploration activities a boost
- Beijing is in talks with Chile over use of the Punta Arenas port ‘for the realisation of projects at their bases located in the Antarctic continent’
- Analyst says relations with key players like Chile and Australia may give China political leverage in the region
They also said that while Beijing was steadily expanding its presence in Antarctica, most of its activities were commercial and China had not made public any plans for military deployment in the area.
The ministry also said that China hoped to use Punta Arenas “as a base port for the displacement of materials and personnel, both by sea and by air”.
Hu Zhiyong, an expert with the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, said Punta Arenas – which is located on the Strait of Magellan – would be an ideal jumping-off point for Chinese exploration vessels headed to Antarctica.
“Oceanic voyages, particularly those with a scientific purpose, need a lot of supplies and it would be much easier if countries near the Antarctic could make it more convenient for Chinese vessels,” Hu said. “Most countries would like to offer this kind of support as long as the voyages are not for military purposes,” he added.