Chinese research icebreaker Xuelong 2, or Snow Dragon 2, has sailed more than 10,000 nautical miles since it departed for China's 41st Antarctic expedition on November 1, completing one third of the planned voyage.
The 41st Antarctic expedition set sail from Guangzhou, the provincial capital of Guangdong in south China on Nov. 1, and the whole mission will take nearly seven months.
The expedition team is composed of more than 460 people and three ships, including research icebreakers Xuelong and Xuelong 2, and cargo vessel Yongsheng.
Xuelong and Xuelong 2 arrived at China's Zhongshan Station in Antarctica on Nov. 28 and unloaded there.
Xuelong 2 left the Zhongshan Station for the Qinling Station on Dec 11 and met with cargo vessel Yongsheng on Dec 21.
"Since we officially departed from Guangzhou on Nov 1, we have sailed through the South China Sea, the Sulu Sea near the Philippines, the Lombok Strait before we sailed on the Indian Ocean. After crossing the westerlies, we arrived at the Zhongshan Station and completed the first stage of the mission. Then we sailed eastward along the Antarctic continent and have now arrived at the Ross Sea where the Qinling Station is located," said Xiao Zhimin, captain of Xuelong 2.
Xuelong 2 and Yongsheng arrived at the Qinling Station on Dec. 25.
The Zhongshan Station, set up on Feb. 26, 1989, is located in the Larsemann Hills in East Antarctica with a total area of 378 hectares.
As the second Chinese scientific research base in Antarctica, the Zhongshan Station serves as a key hub for inland expeditions and supports research in meteorological observation, oceanography, geology, and other fields.
The Qinling Station is China's fifth research station in the continent. It started operation on Feb. 7, 2024.
Apart from investigating the impact of climate change on the Antarctic ecosystem and conducting international research and logistics cooperation, the 41st Antarctic expedition will build the supporting infrastructure for the Qinling Station.
Xuelong 2 sails 10,000 nautical miles on current Antarctic expedition
China on Wednesday announced interim measures for the implementation of a flexible retirement system, in a move to enforce the previously adopted policy of incrementally raising the statutory retirement age.
The measures stipulated the procedures for applying for flexible retirement and the requirements for receiving basic pensions, among other details.
Under the new policy, individuals will be allowed to retire up to three years earlier than the new statutory retirement age once they have met the minimum pension contribution requirements. But it is not allowed to retire earlier than the previous statutory age.
Individuals will be able to postpone retirement to an even later date if they reach an agreement with their employers, though this delay must not exceed three years.
Experts say the new retirement system offers flexible options for workers with different situations.
"The flexible retirement policy takes into full consideration the needs of different groups, allowing workers to flexibly choose their own retirement time and to better balance life and work. The lower-aged elderly who have willingness, capabilities, and conditions, could continue to engage in social production and service roles to realize their personal value," said Li Chang'an, researcher with the Academy of China Open Economy Studies under the University of International Business and Economics.
Chinese lawmakers voted in last September to adopt a decision on gradually raising the statutory retirement age in the country, marking the first adjustment in the arrangement since the 1950s.
According to the decision adopted at the 11th session of the Standing Committee of the 14th National People's Congress, the statutory retirement age for men will be gradually raised from 60 to 63 in the course of 15 years starting 2025, while that for women cadres and women blue-collar workers will be raised from 55 to 58 and from 50 to 55, respectively.
Starting 2030, the minimum year of basic pension contributions required to receive monthly benefits will be gradually raised from 15 years to 20 years at the pace of an increase of six months annually.
China announces interim measures for introducing flexible retirement system
