What changed
China’s National People’s Congress Standing Committee passed the Antarctic Activities and Environmental Protection Law on 6 November. It takes effect on 1 January 2027, filling China’s domestic legal gap for Antarctic research, tourism, environmental protection, historic sites, and the handling of scientific samples and data.
The law applies to Chinese individuals and organisations, as well as foreign visitors and operators departing from China. Serious damage to Antarctic historic sites or monuments can bring fines of 100,000 to 300,000 yuan.
Why it matters
China has been an Antarctic Treaty consultative party since 1985, but it had not previously set out a comprehensive national law for its Antarctic activities. The new framework turns years of research and expedition practice into binding rules, including requirements to follow station-management procedures, avoid disturbing wildlife, leave no waste, and refrain from touching protected sites.
That matters as Antarctic tourism expands. More than 120,000 people visited during the 2023–2024 Antarctic season, and China is now the second-largest source market. The law gives tour companies and visitors a clearer boundary: access to the continent does not mean unrestricted access to research stations or historic places.
It also strengthens the state’s oversight of science. China has carried out 42 Antarctic expeditions and built five stations. Researchers will be required to submit collected samples and data through the relevant system after expeditions, helping preserve them as a shared resource for future work.
The broader significance is diplomatic as well as domestic. The law presents China’s Antarctic policy around peaceful use, environmental protection, international law and multilateral governance. Its practical test will come after January, when enforcement arrangements and supervision of activities leaving China become clearer.
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