After 41 days hardship, a 61-member scientific exploration team of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) arrived in Mangya town in Haixi Mongolian-Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in northwest China's Qinghai Province at 6:00 PM October 30, realizing mankind's first traverse through the core area of Hoh Xil (Kekexili).

A brief but red-carpet welcome ceremony was held after their arrival.

The team set off from Lhasa, capital city of Tibet Autonomous Region, on September 20.

65 people passed Shuanghu Lake, Kangzhag Ri, Whale Lake and then headed for Mangya.

They created a record of five cross-countries getting sunk 15 times in a 50-kilometer or eight-hour journey.

The 12-ton telecommunication vehicle and the fuel vehicle of more than 30 tons trudged at their best, but had to leave the team on October 8 and turned around to the destination ahead of schedule and welcomed the team head on.

The doctor, two chefs and a driver also left midway due to physical reasons.

Ding Lin, head of the team, said they conducted explorations on the geological conditions, glaciers, lakes, rivers, frozen soil, volcanic rocks, mineral resources, and fauna and flora as well as ancient life in strata of the region and obtained first-hand data.

They also for the first time collected data on the region's climate.

A news conference on the exploration will be held in Beijing on November 4.

Sources say explorations in Hoh Xil will last three years and the second phase will kick off in around April 2006.

(People's Daily November 1, 2005)