Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang (1st R, front) shakes hands with polar scientists who took part in the test dive of the "Jiaolong", China's manned submersible, during a visit to the National Marine Environmental Forecasting Center in Beijing, capital of China, Jan. 19, 2012. Li Keqiang extended Lunar New Year greetings to Chinese scientists working in the polar regions via telecommunication here on Thursday.(Xinhua/Huang Jingwen)BEIJING, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Vice Premier Li Keqiang on Friday extended festival greetings to Chinese scientists working in the polar regions ahead of China's Lunar New Year, which falls on Jan. 23 this year.
During a visit to the National Marine Environmental Forecasting Center, Li made phone calls to some scientists stationed in the polar regions as well as researchers onboard the scientific research vessel "Snow Dragon," which is in the middle of a six-month Antarctic expedition.
Li called for efforts to increase the depth and scope of China's scientific research in both polar regions and oceans.
Oceans are China's precious "blue territory." To face, explore and protect China's oceans is an inevitable strategic choice as the country pursues all-round opening up, Li said.
Li said China should efficiently raise its capacity in exploring, protecting, controlling and comprehensively managing its oceanic territory, as required by the country's 12th Five-year Plan (2011-15).
Li also stressed the need to protect China's maritime rights and interests as well as promote the country's influence over maritime affairs.
"Snow Dragon," or Xuelong in Chinese, left China's port city of Tianjin in November. A 220-member expedition team, including two scholars from Taiwan, boarded the ship, which will carry out 31 scientific research tasks during the trip.
Part of the vessel's mission is to bring supplies to two of China's three Antarctic stations, and drop a team off at the third, Kunlun, located at the peak of the snow and ice-covered continent.
Source: Xinhua
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