POLAR POLITICS: Exclusive: China proposes its own Antarctic marine protected area – in a Soviet-named sea

China has proposed its own 127,000 square kilometre marine protected area (MPA) in Antarctica, located within a sea named by the Soviet Union. According to documents supplied to the media, Beijing's proposal includes provisions that would permit commercial krill fishing during part of every year and set an expiration date of 20 years for the protected status.

In addition to the MPA proposal, China is separately seeking changes to the overarching rules that govern marine protection in the region. The initiative marks a significant development in polar politics and resource management within Antarctic waters.