Presently, there is a base exclusively operated by Chinese nationals under the Peoples Army’s final supervision; the facility is located in Argentina, and it is 200 hectares in size, with an exclusion area of 100 km of diameter, and it enjoys free of charge as a concession for 50 years. The Chinese and Argentinean authorities indicate that this operation is solely for research into the deep space; others declare the base has dual scientific and military purposes.