China will?study the possibility of establishing a third
research station in Antarctica, Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan said yesterday.
He made the remarks in Beijing at the launch ceremony to mark
the country's participation in the International Polar Year (IPY)
2007/2008.
"However, whether or not the country will set up a third station
still remains uncertain," said Xia Limin, an official in charge of
polar affairs at the State Oceanic Administration (SOA).
The IPY 2007/2008, which began yesterday and will run until
March 1, 2009, marks the first time that China has participated in
IPY activities, said Sun Zhihui, head of the SOA.
The IPY 2007-2008, which was launched by the International
Council for Science in conjunction with the World Meteorological
Organization, is the fourth of its kind since the 1882/1883
seasons, when the first joint polar expedition was organized.
Advancing understanding
This time around, the event will focus on advancing human
understanding of how the Earth's polar regions affect global
climate systems. It is the largest internationally participated
scientific research effort in 50 years.
Chinese scientists have drawn up plans for the upcoming IPY
expedition season, including a plan known as PANDA, which was
listed as one of the core research missions.
PANDA is a multi-goal research plan that includes deep-ice
coring at Dome A, the highest point on the Antarctic ice sheet, and
a study of the interactions between ocean-ice and the shelf-ice
sheet system from Pridz Bay to Dome A via the Amery Ice Shelf.
The IPY is an international event during which scientists are
able to collaborate on large-scale joint projects.
To date, more than 100 countries and international organizations
have put forward 1,200 research topics or suggestions for the IPY
2007/2008 polar expedition season.
China has launched 22 Antarctic expeditions since 1984 and built
two permanent exploration stations, named Changcheng (Great Wall)
and Zhongshan, in the region.
China also launched two Arctic expeditions and built the Huanghe
(Yellow River) exploration station in the Arctic in July 2004.
(China Daily March 2, 2007)