China's New Antarctic Research Station Renews Concerns About Potential Security Threats

FILE - People attend the launch ceremony of China's first domestically built polar icebreaker Xuelong 2, or Snow Dragon 2, at a shipyard in Shanghai, China September 10, 2018, Sept. 10, 2018.

China’s inauguration of a new scientific research station in Antarctica last week has renewed debate about the purpose and impact of the rapid expansion of Chinese presence on the continent.