Affiliated to the State Oceanic Administration ( SOA) of China, Chinese Arctic and Antarctic Administration ( CAA) performs the function of organizing Chinese Arctic and Antarctic expeditions and administering the related Arctic and Antarctic affairs on behalf of SOA.
CAA has been playing an active role in the scientific research and international cooperation activities in the Antarctic continent and the Southern Ocean within the principles and the framework of the Antarctic Treaty System. China has done 31 national Antarctic expeditions until 2015 with the operating of two year-round Stations, namely the Great Wall Station located in King George Island, west Antarctica and the Zhongshan Station located in the Larsemann Hills, east Antarctica, one inner land summer station, namely the Kunlun Station located on “Dome A”, the highest place in Antarctica，and one camp, namely the Taishan Camp located in Princess Elizabeth Land, Antarctica .
The establishment of the Yellow River station, the first Chinese Arctic station, in 2004 in Ny-Alesund, Norway, enables China to perform and widen her scientific research and cooperation scope in the Arctic region. CAA has been organizing the Chinese National Arctic Research in the Yellow River Station each year ever since, and the year of 2015 is the twelfth year in succession. CAA has successfully organized 6 Arctic scientific expeditions by M/V Xuelong in 1997, 2003, 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2014.
Within the framework of related conventions, treaties and other legal obligations, China is making her contribution to the scientific research and peaceful development both in the Antarctic and Arctic. |
