Antarctica is pictured in this undated image courtesy of NASA. (Photo : Reuters)
China will use a newly developed tool to explore the Antarctica this year, according to the State Oceanic Administration.
The SOA will form an air service team for the exploration of the Antarctica, which will help establish a full monitoring platform of the land, air and sea.
It added that the country will develop technology and equipment adapted to the polar ecosystem besides monitoring and application service systems.
According to the Global Times, the agency will conduct a pilot deep-sea mining project, exploration, and deep-sea biological diversity research.
Furthermore, the SOA will establish an application service platform based on the homemade controlled deep-sea submersible and deep-sea space station.
The SOA will also conduct the seventh Arctic research expedition in 2016 and will attempt to arrange a joint Arctic Ocean Expedition with Russia.
The head of the department of strategic planning and economy, Zhang Zhanhai, said that the administration will advance innovative development structures for the ocean economy involving Internet and large data, and several state oceanic laboratories will be constructed.
Apart from mere exploration, China also has economic interests in the Antarctica. Although there is a treaty banning mining in the region, which will be reviewed in 2018, the SOA will carry out pilot deep-sea mining projects. The Antarctica has large deposits of oil and gas, in addition to minerals like iron ore and coal.
According to RT, researchers plan to construct a deep-sea space station to get a better picture of what is under the great ice sheet of the Antarctica.
In June 2015, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev signed a treaty for development of Northern Sea Route, which is a passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific through the shortest route along Russia's Arctic coastline.
Beneath the ice and cold waters of the Arctic Ocean are concealed vast natural reserves, about 20 percent of oil globally, 30 percent of natural gas worldwide, and deposits of platinum, gold and tin.
