China’s manned submersible, Jiaolong, is to attempt a seven-thousand-meter dive in the Pacific Ocean next year.

The State Oceanic Administration has urged sound efforts in organizing and conducting the dive mission. It 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.

China will also further polar research and step up surveying efforts in the international seabed ore deposit areas that it has gained rights to explore.

In July of 2010, China became the fifth country to send a man 3,500 meters below sea level, using Jialong. It reached over five-thousand meters in that attempt.