A joint marine scientific expedition between China and Russia was officially launched on Tuesday in Vladivostok, a city in Russia’s Far East.
Scientists from both countries will carry out research aboard the vessel Akademik M.A. Lavrentyev, focusing on the Bering Sea and the northwestern Pacific Ocean.
At the launch ceremony, Wang Jun, China’s acting consul general in Vladivostok, highlighted the 15-year history of joint marine expeditions, during which Chinese and Russian researchers have built strong mutual trust and worked through complex scientific challenges together.
Wang noted that this latest expedition will explore paleoceanography, paleoclimatology, and ecosystems, with the goal of deepening knowledge of climate evolution in the North Pacific-Arctic region and supporting better forecasts of future environmental changes.
He emphasized that in today’s interconnected world, the resumption of joint marine studies showcases both nations’ dedication to tackling climate change and promoting marine science.
The expedition is co-organized by the Pacific Oceanological Institute of the Russian Academy of Science’s Far Eastern Branch and China’s First Institute of Oceanography, and marks the first such mission since pandemic-related disruptions, according to POI Director Denis Makarov.
Makarov explained that the data gathered will help reconstruct past oceanic and climate conditions, which are vital for evaluating how climate change affects regional ecosystems, fisheries, and shipping pathways.
Zou Jianjun, the expedition’s Chinese chief scientist and a geologist, said the team—comprising 25 scientists, including five from China and 20 from Russia, will carry out extensive environmental studies to analyze how the Bering Sea and northwest Pacific responded to global climate shifts during the Late Quaternary period.
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