China's Jiaolong submersible completed it's 14th dive of the 2024 Western Pacific Expedition on Friday, marking the successful conclusion of the international dive work on this voyage, according to the Ministry of Natural Resources.
With eight foreign scientists and three scientists from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) aboard, Jiaolong deep-sea manned submersible dived toward six seamounts and one ocean basin in the Western Pacific.
"The scientific expedition team members on this voyage come from 9 countries and regions. Everyone has their own expertise in ocean biology, marine geology and other aspects. We jointly try to promote international cooperative research on deep-sea biodiversity and achieve sustainable development," said Qiu Jianwen, co-chief Scientist of the 2024 Western Pacific Expedition.
According to the scientific expedition team, the seamounts in the Western Pacific have high biodiversity, with significant differences in the distribution of species and composition of organisms on different sides of seamounts and in different water depths.
Many deep-sea cold-water coral forests and sponge fields have been discovered, and the dominant biological groups are eight-flowered corals and glass sponges.
In the next period of time, the scientist representatives and crew members of the 2024 Western Pacific Expedition team will also hold"Deep Sea Classroom" on campus and science popularization activities with primary and secondary school students in Hong Kong SAR and Qingdao via video link.
China's Jiaolong submersible completes 14th dive of 2024 Western Pacific Expedition
China's Jiaolong submersible completes 14th dive of 2024 Western Pacific Expedition
China's Jiaolong submersible completes 14th dive of 2024 Western Pacific Expedition
As the Mid-Autumn Festival approaches, vibrant celebrations are taking place around the globe, allowing people from various countries to experience and appreciate the charm of Chinese culture.
The Mid-Autumn Festival, observed on the 15th day of the eighth month in the Chinese lunar calendar, is a treasured time for family reunions. This year, it falls on Tuesday. The festival is typically celebrated with family gatherings, moon viewing, and the enjoyment of mooncakes, a traditional pastry associated with the occasion.
In Brazil's biggest city Sao Paulo, the Mid-Autumn Festival carnival infused the city with festive energy on Saturday. The Wuju Opera Troupe from east China's Jinhua City performed traditional dragon dances and the "Golden Monkey Welcomes Spring" show.
At a dedicated Chinese cultural corridor, local residents had the chance to immerse in traditional Chinese arts, such as calligraphy, paper cutting, and ink painting.
On Sunday, a special Mid-Autumn Gala themed "Night of the Waterfalls," was held in Foz do Iguacu, the Brazilian side of the Iguazu Falls. Chinese expatriates and local residents experienced the intricacies of Chinese culture and traditions.
In Hungary, two Mid-Autumn Festival activities - the "Mooncake Workshop" and the "Mid-Autumn Garden Party" were held at the Chinese Cultural Center in the capital city of Budapest on Saturday.
The Mooncake Workshop gave locals the opportunity to learn the art of making traditional flower mooncakes and snow-skin mooncakes. At the same time, the Mid-Autumn Garden Party featured a variety of interactive Chinese cultural activities, offering guests a deeper understanding of Chinese festival customs.
"I feel that there's always new things to learn about China. It has such a vast history and culture, all sorts of things, and also like geographically there are a lot of different ethnicities with all the different customs. So it's very fascinating to me," said Anna, one of the locals.
Meanwhile, countries such as Jordan and Myanmar hosted a variety of Mid-Autumn Festival activities, including exhibitions of intangible cultural heritage, poetry recitations, and artistic performances.
People across globe hold colorful activities to celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival
