China moves to tighten rules on Antarctic tourism as visitor numbers surge

China is pushing to elevate its Antarctic tourism permit system from an administrative regulation to a formal law, as the number of Chinese visitors to the continent surges.

The Legislative Affairs Commission of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) is reviewing a draft of the "Antarctic Activities and Environmental Protection Law" from Tuesday through Friday, according to China's state-run Xinhua News Agency. The draft would tighten requirements for Antarctic tour operators and impose fines of up to 200 million won for unlicensed activities.

The bill was first reviewed at the 19th session of the 14th NPC Standing Committee in December last year and has since been revised to incorporate feedback from various sectors.

Under the draft, Chinese Antarctic tour operators would be required to submit activity plans, environmental impact assessments, emergency response plans, and proof of financial guarantees and insurance to the State Council's ocean authority for advance approval. Operators would also be required to provide tourists with safety-compliant equipment and transportation, and to establish safety and emergency response measures.

Tourists themselves would be obligated to comply with the safety and environmental protection rules of the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting. The bill also requires operators to submit post-activity reports and allows authorities to order an immediate halt to unlicensed activities and expel violators from Antarctica.

Illegal proceeds would be confiscated, and fines of 100,000 to 500,000 yuan — equivalent to about 22 million to 110 million won ($73,900) — would be imposed. In serious cases, fines could reach 1 million yuan (about 220 million won), and violators would be barred from applying for Antarctic activity permits for 10 years.

China introduced an Antarctic visit permit system in 2014, but that framework carried limited legal force as it was only an administrative regulation. This marks the first time the rules are being elevated to law, with specific fine amounts and a provision for confiscating illegal proceeds explicitly stated.

Antarctic tourism has emerged as a new overseas travel trend among Chinese visitors, driving growing demand for clearer regulations and safety management, local media reported.

Hu Zhaozao, director of Polar Hub, a Chinese polar environmental protection organization, told the Global Times — an English-language newspaper affiliated with the People's Daily, the official organ of the Chinese Communist Party — that China currently has the fastest-growing number of Antarctic tourists and ranks second in the world by total visitor volume.

Hu said "climate change and the increase in tourists are placing a dual burden on Antarctica's cryosphere," adding that the bill would help regulate the activities of Chinese institutions and tourists while strengthening China's responsibility for polar environmental protection.