Lessons from Antarctica

AFTER a lifetime of work in a profession that entails making the right acquaintances in the right places， I’d racked up my fair share of frequent flier miles to just about every continent. Not a single one， however， was courtesy of Antarctica. In fact， it wasn’t until a five-year posting during the 1970s to China’s Permanent Mission Office to the United Nations that I first learned about the continent. It was at meetings of the UN Seabed Committee that I made the acquaintance of Argentinean and Chilean diplomats whose home countries are nearer the South Pole.

My early knowledge of Antarctica was simply that it differs from the North Pole， which is largely a body of water covered in snow and ice for most of the year. The South Pole， in contrast， has a large land territory – 13.9 million square kilometers – that constitutes a cornucopia of natural resources and wildlife.

I first set foot on the continent earlier this year.

Antarctic temperatures， at an average-500 to -600 Celsius throughout the year， are so low that the snow never melts in some parts of the continent. It is the coldest place on earth. Because we were visiting during the （relatively） warm season， we were witness to thundering snow slides down rolling mountains， brash ice， and massive drifting icebergs in all formations imaginable. This vista was particularly striking at the Lemaire Strait， known as the iceberg cemetery.

I boarded an expedition ship along with a team of scientists with the intent of exploring this spectacular Antarctic Peninsula. It was as distant from the familiar as possible， and one of the most exhilarating adventures one can have. The tuxedo-esque feathers of penguins gleamed in the sun， while several species of whales gathered at the bow of our vessel to feast on krill as hordes of gray gulls cawed hungrily overhead.

In the company of our guides， I dis-embarked to a shore brimming with varied species of wildlife going about their daily lives， with instructions to maintain a five-meter distance from them. We were cautioned repeatedly that the only things we could take away from the visit were photos and memories， and that all we could leave behind was our footprints. Even picking a blade of grass or a pebble was prohibited.

The cerulean sky， snow-blanketed mountains and billowy white clouds over the shimmering sea entranced and fascinated us. It is hard to believe that this land of overwhelming beauty and peace was a center of contention in the early 20th century. Nine countries scrambled for it， and poachers streamed in， leaving behind bloody killing fields littered with the corpses of countless slaughtered penguins， whales and sea lions.

The whaling factory still stands as grisly testimony to this period of history. I was told that at one point during “processing” whale carcasses were inflated with air and dumped back into the sea to float， bearing the flags of different whaling companies on their backs to indicate ownership. At one time as many as 4，000 dead whales could be seen on this stretch of then bloody water.

Thankfully， such brutal practices belong to bygone days. The Antarctic has been well protected largely due to the Antarctic Treaty. At the proposal of American President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1958， representatives from 12 countries attending over 60 meetings cautiously negotiated and eventually ratified the Antarctic Treaty on December 1， 1959. It came into effect on June 23， 1961. With its overarching philosophy that “Antarctica shall be used for peaceful purposes only，” the pact has had world influence.

In recognizing that the interests of united humankind are foremost， the Antarctic Treaty drafted during the Cold War between the U.S. and the Soviet Union proved that mutual interests could unite countries with different claims but with a common goal. When the treaty was renewed in 1991 for another 50 years， experts actually expressed confidence that it would last forever. The world has seen remarkable changes since the Cold War period， not least the growing scope of common interests that empowers countries to reach far more agreements than decades ago.

The treaty prohibits “any measures of a military nature，” a provision conscientiously observed by all countries over the past 50 years that has restored peace to the South Pole. This testifies to the fact that peace is indeed the perpetual common dream of humankind.

To ensure supervision and encourage cooperation in a land that has remained an enigma to man， the treaty stipulates that “all parties are obliged to inform each other of their activities in Antarctica and facilitate inspections by other Parties of their facilities.”In doing so scientists from all corners of the world work together to solve scientific riddles whose outcomes will benefit humankind.

Before the signing of the treaty several countries were on the verge of war over territorial disputes within the Antarctic. The treaty froze those claims， guaranteeing peace in this unadulterated land – a method analogous to the principle of “putting aside disputes and pursuing joint development，” as advanced by Deng Xiaoping with respect to China’s handling of territorial disputes with its neighbors.

A main effect of my Antarctic visit has been to make me more aware than ever of the need to step up environmen- tal protection. After departing from smog-ridden Beijing for the South Pole， breathing became a new experience. Fresh air is priceless， and despite technological and economic progress over the past two centuries， industrialization has nonetheless crippled the environment and human health. Equally alarming is the shortage of potable water sources， which will parch future generations unless international solutions are found.

China has realized the urgency of environmental protection， and is shifting to resource-thrifty and environment-friendly growth. The general public supports this move as one critical step toward the long-term survival of humankind.

The achievements of the Antarctic Treaty continue to bring inspiration to international affairs in the 21st century， apparent in the realization of the need， as China has stated， to identify common ground within the respective interests of individual countries and hence find mutually amicable solutions. Sticking to this principle， we can contemplate a world of lasting peace and common prosperity.