China Unveils Permanent Research Station South of Australia, New Zealand

China is unveiling a new Antarctic research station south of Australia that will be open year-round, according to Chinese state-owned media. Qinling Station is ostensibly designed to study local ecology but could also be used to collect vast troves of signals intelligence from Australia and New Zealand, according to experts. One report published by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) think tank said the facility had “inherent dual-use capabilities” that could be used for both civilian and military purposes. “While essential for tracking and communicating with China’s growing array of scientific satellites, ground stations can support intelligence collection,” the report said....