China-New Zealand deep sea expedition team discovers new marine life

A groundbreaking collaborative dive expedition between Chinese and New Zealand scientists has revealed new marine life forms in the Puysegur Trench -- one of the world’s deepest ocean trenches, located off the southern coast of New Zealand.

The joint expedition was conducted by the CAS Institute of Deep-Sea Science and Engineering (IDSSE), in collaboration with New Zealand’s National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA). The mission also marked the first international scientific dive in the Puysegur Trench, and the second collaborative deep-sea expedition between China and New Zealand.

Using China's state-of-the-art Fendouzhe submersible, the three-month expedition conducted a world record 32 dives. Almost 3,000 samples were collected from the 800-kilometer-long trench in New Zealand's Southern Ocean. The scientists were able to dive more than six kilometers to the sea floor, observe how animals survive in these extreme conditions, and conduct vital research on climate change.

"It's amazing feeling, seeing that with your own eyes, seeing the animals serenely swimming around on the bottom, and the little sea cucumbers munching away on the mud at the seafloor. So yeah, it's amazing experience," said Sadie Mills, a New Zealand scientist.

The expedition leader said it is "a dream come true" to be able to study how chemicals rise from the earth’s core to provide food and energy for marine life.

The research has also provided New Zealand with valuable knowledge about marine life -- knowledge that would not have been possible without Chinese technology.

"It was an amazing opportunity for us to get access to parts of the trench and get some understanding about how those deep environments operate that we could never do ourselves," said Rob Murdoch, deputy chief executive of NIWA.

The initial findings were revealed aboard the scientific research ship Tan Suo Yi Hao (Discovery One). China's ambassador said the scientific collaboration demonstrates the value of China's strategic partnership with New Zealand.

"Our bilateral exchanges and cooperation in various fields have brought tangible benefits to both peoples," said Wang Xiaolong, Chinese ambassador to New Zealand.

This expedition will undoubtedly advance human exploration of the deep ocean and deepen our understanding of the ocean’s potential impact on climate change.

"The oceans are an intimate part of the climate system. They're already changing, and they're already having an influence on our atmospheric climate," Rob Murdoch added.

The expedition involved 68 scientists from eight countries -- including New Zealand, Malaysia, Denmark, Germany, France, Brazil, India, and China -- who aim to raise global awareness about life on the seafloor and its connection to climate change.

"So we need these international collaborations and seagoing expeditions worldwide to understand the global distribution of carbon, and how it finally ended in the sea floor," noted Frank Wenzhofer, a German scientist.

China-New Zealand deep sea expedition team discovers new marine life

The China-CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum is expected to bring new vitality to the global development and human civilization, said Colombian President Gustavo Petro in Beijing.

Petro, who delivered a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the fourth ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC Forum on Wednesday, told China Media Group (CMG) in an interview, while giving a special mention of the importance of the forum as a platform to reshape multilateralism.

"This Forum, held here in China, comes at a pivotal moment in history. And that's precisely what makes it so significant. It is taking place at a time when multilateralism is in urgent need of reshaping. There are some powers who believe they can rule the world through intimidation and shows of force. But with China and Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries standing together, we must make them understand: history is full of hard lessons. Those who once flexed their military might did not prevail. They may have enjoyed momentary success in the past, but this time, history will not repeat itself," he said.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the China-CELAC Forum's operation.

Chinese President Xi Jinping stated in his speech delivered at the opening ceremony of the fourth ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC Forum that under the careful cultivation of both sides over the past 10 years, the China-CELAC Forum has grown from a tender sapling into a towering tree.

Petro hailed the relations between China and LAC countries over the past decade, saying that the cooperation is expected to energize the global development and human civilization.

"Yes, exactly, a tree. A strong and thriving tree, with deep and well-developed roots firmly anchored in the earth. There's no doubt that over the past ten years, trade in physical goods between China and LAC countries has grown substantially. China is involved in building the Bogota metro project. China is also constructing a port in Peru, and many other large-scale infrastructure projects are being advanced through Chinese investment and engineering expertise. When we link the cultural and civilizational threads of China and LAC countries, it's as if we are nurturing a living tree, one that grows tall toward the sky and promises to bring new vitality to the human civilization," he said.

China-CELAC Forum brings new vitality to global development: Colombian president