China kicked off a new round of oceanic scientific research
yesterday, sending its newly updated research ship Dayang Yihao to
the Pacific Ocean from Qingdao, east China's Shandong Province.
Chen Bingxin, president of the China Ocean Mineral Resources
Research and Development Association, has high hopes for the latest
voyage, predicting it could provide new energy resources to fuel
the fast developing Chinese economy.
He
said the new trip will focus on further exploration in the
country's Contract Area approved by the International Seabed
Authority in May 2001.
The trip will also investigate, collect, classify and record deep
sea biological resources. The ultimate goal is to establish the
country's first specialistic research base using the world's most
advanced techniques to develop genetic resources.
Moreover, Chinese scientists will test the country's latest marine
technologies, such as underwater robots, and will try to set up an
environmental monitoring system to facilitate future deep-sea
mining operations.
With the Earth's terrestrial resources unlikely to meet the needs
of the expanding world population and vast global economy, more and
more countries are turning their eyes to the seas for their future
energy supplies.
Occupying about 70 per cent of the Earth's total surface area, the
sea is believed by many scientists to boast huge potential for
various energy sources that human society needs, such as oil, gas
and manganese.
Although China began its exploration work much later than some
developed countries, its scientists are making impressive
achievements, said Chen.
After 11 voyages over an eight-year period, Chinese scientists have
managed to mark out a 75,000-square-kilometre area. The
International Seabed Authority has awarded China exclusive
prospecting rights and priority in the commercialization of
polymetallic nodules in the area.
The area is estimated to have reserves of 420 million tons of
polymetallic nodules, of which 3 million tons can be exploited in
the next two decades.
The authority granted the prospecting rights in recognition of
Chinese government and scientists' efforts in exploring seabed for
the benefit of humanity, said Chen Rongfa with the No 2 Marine
Research Institute of the State Oceanographic Administration in
Hangzhou, capital of East China's Zhejiang Province.
A
leading deep sea research force in China, the institute hosted the
country's first research base in the field in March.
However, it might take the country another seven years to
industrialize its deep sea technologies, said Chen.
"Lots of research still need to be done," he said.
(China Daily April 11, 2003)