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In the Arctic, China's strategic goals include the opening up of a "Northeast Passage" shipping route Beijing hopes will shave days off the journey from China to Europe, its biggest export destination. And in the Antarctic, Beijing has mounted 30 expeditions and built three research bases, one at more than 4,000 metres (13,000 feet) altitude on one of the frozen continent's highest ice caps. Experts say that, just as in the space race, China is playing a long game in polar exploration, with the expected territorial and natural resource benefits decades, even half a century, away. But while mining is banned until 2048 at the earliest under the Antarctic Treaty "some have observed China's development of its Antarctic interests allow it to be well-positioned if there is a change in the circumstances", he told AFP.
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