The venture to Svalbard is part of a three-year program, to be finished next year, according to Gao Dengyi, team captain.

The program, organized by the China Association for Scientific Expeditions, and sponsored by the Yilite Group in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and the Mulin Group in Central China's Hunan Province, aims to compare the ecological and environmental system in Svalbard and with Qinghai-Tibet Plateau in Southwest China.

A temporary station has been established in Longyearbyen of Svalbard, where the investigations and research will be carried out.

From October to November last year, Gao and his colleagues went to Svalbard to select an appropriate site for the station and the subject of the investigations and research.

Despite the fact Chinese scientists have already undertaken numerous investigations in the Arctic, this is the first station Chinese scientists have helped establish in the region, Gao said.

He added China is making efforts to set up its first permanent national scientific station in Svalbard within five years.

(China Daily July 24, 2002)