China is expected to complete the construction of its third station around the highest point on Antarctica by 2009, captain of a Chinese expedition team told Xinhua Tuesday.

The station will be built around Dome A, the continent's peak point at 4,093 meters above sea level, Wei Wenliang said.

A 17-member Chinese expedition team has successfully scaled Dome A before deciding on the location of the new station, he said.

Construction could start following the completion of environment assessment as required by international procedures and is expected to finish by 2009 if everything goes well.

China started its 24th expedition on the South Pole on November 12, when the ice breaker Xuelong left China's eastern coastal city of Shanghai with 91 researchers and 40 crew members onboard.

(Xinhua News Agency January 30, 2008)