China's manned submersible Jiaolong, which reached 5,188 meters below the sea during its deepest dive in the Pacific Ocean this year, will attempt a 7,000-meter dive in 2012, according to the State Oceanic Administration (SOA).

During a national meeting held Monday to sum up the work of oceanic authorities this year and to list tasks for the coming year, Liu Cigui, head of the SOA, urged sound efforts in organizing and conducting the dive mission.

China will promote the development of deep-sea technologies and equipment, including comprehensive research ships, mothership of manned undersea grafts, and deep-sea autonomous underwater vehicles, according to Liu.

The country will further polar research and step up surveying efforts in the international seabed ore deposit areas that it has gained rights to explore, Liu said.

Jiaolong successfully reached 3,759 meters below the sea during a dive mission in the South China Sea in 2010, making China the fifth country able to send a man 3,500 meters below sea level, following the United States, France, Russia and Japan.

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