China's manned submersible, the Jiaolong, is returning to shore after completing five test dives in the Pacific Ocean, reaching 5,188 meters during its deepest dive, the State Oceanic Administration (SOA) said Thursday.

The Jiaolong and its three crew members completed the dives between July 21 and Aug. 1, according to a statement released by the SOA work team in charge of the mission.

The submersible conducted a series of undersea research experiments, retrieving a great deal of information from the ocean floor, it said.

"The mission has tested the submersible's functionality in deep sea environments," it said.

The Jiaolong embarked on the mission on July 1 from the city of Jiangyin in east China's Jiangsu Province and is expected to return to the city between Aug. 17 and 18, according to the administration.

The Jiaolong, named after a mythical sea dragon, is the world's first manned submersible designed to reach depths of 7,000 meters below sea level, according to Xu Qinan, chief designer of the submersible.

The test mission will pave the way for a record-breaking 7,000-meter test dive in 2012.

The submersible completed 17 dives in the South China Sea between May 31 and July 18 last year, reaching 3,759 meters during its deepest dive.

China is the fifth country to send a man 3,500 meters below sea level, following the United States, France, Russia and Japan.

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