China’s Ministry of Natural Resources announced that during its 2025 Arctic expedition, the country successfully carried out 43 manned deep-sea dives, including coordinated missions using two crewed submersibles.
According to the Ministry, this achievement makes China the only nation capable of conducting manned deep-sea operations beneath thick Arctic ice. The dives explored seabed formations and marine ecosystems beneath the summer ice, significantly expanding Beijing’s scientific capabilities in the region.
“This is about the exploration of deep-sea resources and future generations. China is positioning itself as a global leader in the management of deep-sea and seabed resources,” said Elizabeth Buchanan, a polar geopolitics expert at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.
The dives were conducted using the submersibles Fendouzhe and Jiaolong, deployed from the ice-class research vessels Tansuo Sanhao and Shenhai Yihao. Both submersibles can dive beyond 7,000 meters, with Fendouzhe reaching a record 10,909 meters in the Challenger Deep in 2020.
The missions took place in the Beaufort Sea and central Arctic Ocean, along the Gakkel Ridge — a mid-ocean ridge located in a region subject to ongoing territorial disputes over continental shelf extensions between Russia, Denmark/Greenland, and Norway.
This accomplishment underscores China’s expanding presence in polar research, an area long dominated by Russia and Western nations. A CCTV report highlighted a “dual-submersible coordinated operation mode,” demonstrating new advances in underwater navigation, communication, and under-ice safety — all critical for sustainable Arctic exploration.
Although Beijing frames its Arctic activities as scientific, analysts note that its growing technological capabilities — from deep-diving submersibles to icebreaking operations — carry clear strategic implications. The expansion of Chinese capabilities has drawn attention amid intensifying competition and environmental pressures in the Arctic.
“I suspect Arctic coastal states, particularly the U.S., would very much like to know what kind of devices China has been deploying at depths unreachable by current Western technologies. Once again, Beijing has raised the stakes in deep-sea and seabed research,” Buchanan added.
Over the past decade, China has steadily increased its Arctic presence, sending icebreakers, research vessels, and unmanned submersibles to the region. Beijing portrays these efforts as part of its ‘peaceful scientific development’ strategy, focusing on climate studies, marine biodiversity, seabed mapping, and long-term access to emerging Arctic shipping routes.
Last month, a Chinese container ship became the first vessel to connect Asia and Western Europe via the Arctic in just 20 days. By next summer, the owners of Istanbul Bridge plan to expand operations to 16 voyages.
