China will establish its first scientific research station in September during the second ever mission to the area by a team including Chinese scientists.
The station will be located on Svalbard Island, which belongs to Norway, as an integral step for China to improve its understanding about how its climate will be impacted upon by changes on the North Pole.
Organized by the State Oceanic Administration, a total of 115 people will take part. About 90 experts from China, 16 from the United States, Canada, Japan and Finland and also several reporters will travel aboard the "Snow Dragon" vessel from Dalian of northeast China's Liaoning Province, according to the English-language newspaper.
The expedition and station's foundation will set up a basic observation system to collect first-hand polar research material, said Wei Wenliang, an official with the administration.
During the 74-day-long mission, based on the "Snow Dragon" vessel, experts plan to research the ocean's chemical composition, biology, geography and climate by using several tools like an underwater robot and a helicopter.
(Xinhua News Agency July 10, 2003)
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