Key facts
- The law aims to encourage Chinese scientific exploration and says it safeguards the security of national activities, assets and other interests in Antarctica.
- Permission for Chinese Antarctic research, tourism, shipping and other activities will be subject to environmental, safety and other conditions.
- The law requires Chinese Antarctic activities to protect animals and plants, handle and dispose of waste properly, prevent marine pollution and avoid or reduce adverse environmental impacts.
- China has had an atmospheric monitoring station in Antarctica for two years, observing changes and supporting the global response to climate change.
- China is a party to the Antarctic Treaty, which designates the continent as a scientific preserve open to research and bans military activity.
- China is also a party to the treaty's 1991 Protocol on Environmental Protection, which prohibited mining and oil exploration for 50 years.
China approved a law to improve its Antarctic research and strengthen regulation of its exploration activities, the official Xinhua news agency reported on November 6, 2026. Reuters reported the approval from Hong Kong.
The law aims to encourage Chinese scientific exploration and, in the words of the report, "safeguards the security of national activities, assets and other interests in Antarctica." It requires Chinese Antarctic activities to protect animals and plants, properly handle and dispose of waste, prevent marine pollution and avoid or reduce adverse impacts on the Antarctic environment.