Beijing - The Arctic will be the focus of stepped-up research and expedition efforts to deal with challenges and opportunities arising from melting ice cover, the country's top administrator on polar research has said.

Climate and environmental changes in the Arctic have a direct impact on China, Qu Tanzhou, director of the Chinese Arctic and Antarctic Administration (CAA) affiliated to the State Oceanic Administration, told China Daily.

"We need to increase scientific research and expeditions to better comprehend the Arctic Ocean and global climate change," Qu said, adding that China lags behind some countries in this regard.