Speaking of Svalbard, many people may not be familiar with, may not have heard of this island, let alone know where this island is, this island is 7,300 kilometers away, Chinese citizens have the right to freely enter and exit the archipelago, and Chinese engage in any trade activities or residence here, without a visa or with any national government.
Svalbard is located in the Arctic region, unlike other islands in the Arctic Circle, it is a suitable area for human habitation and one of the closest habitable areas to the Arctic.
A paradise for solitude and adventurers, Svalbard is home to countless relics of Arctic explorations and the Nordic countries competing to exploit Arctic resources. It's not just polar bears but also other wildlife: arctic foxes, reindeer, walruses, whales, seabirds, Svalbard is also home to many icebergs and some of the most beautiful fjords in the world. The largest number of inhabitants can be seen throughout the year - about 3,000 polar bears, and about 2,800 humans, becoming a "minority".
Svalbard was discovered by the Dutch in the 12th century, but due to its special geographical location, Svalbard was in a state of ice and snow all year round. Later, a large amount of coal resources were discovered on the island, so by the beginning of the 20th century, many countries came to fight for sovereignty over the island. However, the Treaty of Svalbard, signed after World War I, confirmed Norwegian ownership of the island. At that time, Duan Qirui traveled to the Arctic Ocean on behalf of China and signed the treaty with other countries around the world. The agreement also gives all Chinese citizens the right to freely enter and leave the area and to engage in any non-military activities on the island without a visa.
For Chinese, Svalbard is currently the freest place overseas and is known as China's overseas enclave. Svalbard has an area of about 62,000 square kilometers, which is equivalent to the size of two Hainan islands on the mainland, and the islands are mountainous and fjords. The climate is cold, 60% of the territory is covered by glaciers, and the scenery of ice and snow is particularly beautiful, a white and moving polar landscape.
Everyone who comes here will be shocked by this pure earthquake, like the snowy country in a fairy tale world. Svalbard is also a huge global seed vault, known as the granary of doom. It is less susceptible to changes in outside temperatures, and even in the event of a power outage, the seeds can be kept in a cold environment. Ideal for seed storage. The island's seed bank currently stores seed samples of 4.5 million plant species on Earth, in order to prevent climate change or catastrophe from extinction, and to ensure the source and diversity of human food, vegetables and fruits.
For example, researchers from the Yellow River Station, which the mainland settled in 2004, have been living in Svalbard to carry out research projects in the Arctic. It is precisely with the rights granted by the treaty that China's Arctic exploration road is very smooth, which can be regarded as an unexpected surprise.
This island is very foreign to us, but with the convenience of this island's existence, our scientific research in the Arctic provides great convenience.
It's also a skier's paradise, which is new to us but something we can take advantage of. I hope that more Chinese will start businesses and develop and utilize this land.