BEIJING (Science and Technology Daily) — China will build the country’s first permanent airport in the South Pole which will provide logistical support to scientists and enhance airspace management in the resource-rich Antarctic, official media here reported on Tuesday.

China is joining the US, Russia, Britain, Australia and New Zealand among others in having airfields in the Antarctic, which is rich in natural resources such as silver, gold, platinum and coal.

In 2009, during their 25^th expedition in the Antarctic, Chinese scientists built a 4-kilometer-long, 50-meter-wide runway for fixed-wing aircraft in 2009. The 35^th expedition will leave on Friday and the major task is to build the airport, which is expected to be located along the ice sheet, 28 km from the China-built Zhongshan station in Antarctic. For this purpose, the polar plane Xuein-601 arrived at the Zhongshan station. Despite the fact that Xueen 601 is already participating in an Antarctic expedition for the fourth time, the aircraft is parked at the Russian airport each time, which means that a lot of coordination work is needed every year.

The establishment of the airport will also help China gain management authority of airspace over the South Pole. Chinese analysts say the permanent airport will provide logistical support to scientists and enhance airspace management in the Antarctic. The airport will complete China’s aviation security system in the Antarctic, including the communications and meteorological support systems.

Observers say China is ramping up its strategy in South Pole along with other big powers like US and Russia. The US Geological Survey reported that the Arctic Circle may hold about 30 per cent of the world’s undiscovered gas.