Environmental governance is both a core issue in Antarctic international governance and one of the key goals for countries to anchor their participation in Antarctic affairs. Looking at the decision-making mechanisms for the Antarctic environment, there are leading institutions which developed the Antarctic Treaty system such as the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM), the Committee for Environmental Protection (CEP), and the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR). Additionally, there is active participation from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) such as the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators (IAATO) operating in Antarctica. NGOs have played a unique role in setting industry standards, providing scientific knowledge, participating in agenda-setting, and strengthening public opinion guidance, leveraging their advantages as non-governmental, non-profit, and international actors, further promoting the transparency and democratization of the Antarctic environmental decision-making mechanisms. As a Consultative Party to the Antarctic Treaty, China should adopt a dialectical view of the role played by NGOs in Antarctic environmental governance. While recognizing the important contributions of NGOs in Antarctica’s law-making process, we must also be mindful of the risks posed by the “governmentalization” and “capitalization” of NGOs. Moreover, China should leverage the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) as a channel for strengthening scientific cooperation with NGOs, and actively encourage and guide domestic social organizations to participate in Antarctic affairs, thus enhancing Antarctic discourse power and international status in Antarctic governance.