China's first scientific research station in the Arctic area,
the Yellow River Station located on the Norwegian island of
Spitsbergen, officially opened on Wednesday.
In a letter, Hu Jintao, general secretary of the Communist Party
of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chinese president, extended
congratulations on the opening of the station and greetings to
China's polar research scientists on behalf of the CPC Central
Committee and the State Council.
Hu said in the letter that scientific research in the polar
areas is a great cause that would benefit both the current
generation and the generations to come. With the assiduous efforts
made by China's polar research scientists, the country's polar
research will surely be able to make new and greater contributions
to the lofty cause of peace and development of humankind.
A team of 11 Chinese scientists had left for the Yellow River
Station on July 20 to do research for more than a month.
Over the past 20-plus years, China has successfully organized 20
Antarctic expeditions and two Arctic expeditions. Besides the newly
opened Arctic station, China has two scientific research stations
in the Antarctic area.
"The three stations have not only provided a crucial platform
for China's polar scientific research, but also opened important
windows for scientific exchanges with other countries," Hu said in
his letter.
(China Daily July 29, 2004)