Chinese icebreaker crew spends New Year in Antarctica

Members aboard China's research icebreaker Xuelong 2, or Snow Dragon 2, are experience summer at temperatures persistent at zero degree Celsius in the southern hemisphere on China's 41st Antarctic expedition.

They are also spending many of their first New Year's Day away from home.

Among the Antarctic adventurers is Chen Dongbin, a sailor and drone enthusiast on the research icebreaker Xuelong 2. Still in his twenties, Chen has already taken five voyages to the polar regions and conducted drone operations on the research icebreaker for three to four years.

During the voyage, whenever there is an important event or a special scene, Chen's drone is there to capture it, such as when research icebreaker Xuelong 2 docked with the cargo vessel Yongsheng in the Antarctic.

Pei Jiahao, an engineer aboard Xuelong 2, is another experienced expedition member. His main job is to stay in the lab, use and maintain equipment for the expedition, and to participate in and support the work of oceanographic operations.

Pei is also a passionate photographer and claims many prizes among his over 20,000 photos. From snow-covered mountain to adorable penguins, from arduous task of working on ice to sheets of floating ice, Pei has been recording his work and life through the lens of his camera.

"Many of my friends and family are unable to be on the spot, so I hope to take more beautiful photos and share with them when I get back," said Pei.

There are other ways to document life aboard. Zu Chengdi, assistant chief engineer of Xuelong 2, is a poetry lover. Having participated in 12 Arctic and Antarctic expeditions, he has written nearly 200 poems to record his emotions on each voyage.

In Zu's poems, he describes his busy daily work, joy of reunion with his old colleagues, and feeling of nostalgia.

"I think of them, all the time. It's Chinese tradition, On festive occasions more than ever one thinks of one's dear ones far away. [My daughter] is seven and a half years old this year. I often browse the videos [of her] that I recorded before. After all, I've missed much of her growth," said Zu.

For the crew members, the Antarctic expedition means to be far away from their folks during the New Year's Day and Spring Festival.

"I'm 23. This is my second polar mission this year, and I've been to the Arctica once. I wish our voyage a complete success," said Yang liwei, a system administrator of Xuelong 2.

"Those born in the 1990s and 2000s make up 50 percent of the crew. These young people have now grown into the backbone of our team. We constantly have new talents join our polar missions who have brought a fresh atmosphere to the ship," said Xiao Zhimin, captain of Xuelong 2.

China's 41st Antarctic expedition set sail on Nov 1, 2024, starting a mission expected to last nearly seven months.

During the expedition, researchers will build the supporting infrastructure for the Qinling Station in Antarctica, investigate the impact of climate change on the Antarctic ecosystem, and conduct international research and logistics cooperation.

Chinese icebreaker crew spends New Year in Antarctica

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi has described the swift changes in Syria as a surprise to all parties, including former President Bashar al-Assad, while cautioning external powers against interfering in the country's internal affairs.

The remarks follow a dramatic turn of events on Dec. 8 last year when Syrian rebel forces captured the capital, Damascus, forcing Assad to flee to Russia.

In the wake of these events, Araghchi visited China from Dec. 27 to 28, where he held talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing.

In an interview with China Media Group (CMG), which aired on Friday, Araghchi shared his insights on the recent upheaval and outlined Iran's perspective on Syria's future.

"We had known for a few months that the Syrian opposition was organizing forces and planning new military actions. We shared this intelligence with the Syrian government, and, as far as we know, Russia also provided similar information. In any case, we were aware of the potential developments in Syria. However, the situation unfolded so rapidly, and the Syrian army offered no resistance -- something that no one, not even Bashar al-Assad himself, had anticipated," Araghchi said.

He emphasized the importance of regional cooperation in helping Syria maintain its sovereignty and territorial integrity, while stressing that Syria's future must be decided by its own people.

"Countries in the region must unite and help Syria establish a broad, inclusive government that represents all ethnic groups and factions. The sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria must be preserved. Syria should not become a gathering place or safe haven for terrorists, nor should it pose a threat to its neighbors and other countries in the region. This principle is shared by all countries in the region regarding the current situation in Syria. External powers should not interfere in Syria's internal affairs. The future of Syria must be decided by its own people, as they are the true masters of the country and its destiny. Our role is to assist them once they make the right decisions. We hope to see a peaceful, stable Syria, one that is friendly to its neighbors," Araghchi said.

Further elaborating on Iran's position, Araghchi stated that Iran is waiting for Syria to stabilize and announce its new foreign policies.

"We are waiting for the Syrian transitional government to announce its policies toward other countries in the region and beyond, and for the government to stabilize itself. What we are looking at is not superficial changes or slogans, but tangible actions. Our engagement with the Syrian transitional government will depend on its actions. Iran is acting with complete goodwill, and we hope for Syria's stability. We'd like to help Syria achieve stability and ensure the safety of all its communities, including Shiites, Sunnis, Arabs, and Kurds," said the Foreign Minister.

Swift changes in Syria took everyone by surprise: Iranian FM