Chinese expedition reaches Antarctica's highest icecap

CHANGCHENG STATION, Antarctica, Jan. 12 (Xinhua) -- After the 24th Chinese scientific expedition team successfully scaled the Dome A peak at 11:45 a.m. local time (0645 GMT) on Saturday, China's flag has been flying at the highest Antarctic icecap summit at an elevation of 4,093 meters.

It is the second attempt for the Chinese scientists to survey the peak after they made the first ever successful ascent by mankind on Jan. 18, 2005.

Extremely excited, the 17 members of the Chinese Antarctic icecap expedition team held a solemn flag-raising ceremony and erected a memorial sculpture

Sun Bo, leader of the Chinese Antarctic icecap expedition team said in telephone that all of the 17 team members are in good health.

He they were determined to carry out all the scientific tasks.

The 17-member expedition team set off from China's Zhongshan Station in eastern Antarctica on Dec. 22 for Dome A.

They are tasked with choosing a suitable location for China's third Antarctic research station and carrying out a major exploration mission, the Panda plan.

CHANGCHENG STATION, Antarctic, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- A 17-member Chinese expedition marched 72 km Wednesday bringing the team within 100 km from Dome A, the highest Antarctic icecap peak at an elevation of 4,093 meters, team leader Sun Bo said.

The expedition managed to move ahead in temperatures of under minus 30 degrees Celsius and heavy winds, Sun told China's Changcheng (Great Wall) Station in Antarctica via satellite phone. Full story

CHANGCHENG STATION, Antarctic, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- China's scientific expedition team reached the height of 3,000 meters on the Antarctic Sunday, one day after its arrival at the Changcheng (Great Wall) Station in the west of the continent.

The scientists of the 24th expedition team are in good condition and the vehicles and equipment are working well, Sun Bo, captain of the Chinese team, told Xinhua on phone Monday. Full story

ZHONGSHAN STATION, Antarctica, Dec. 22 (Xinhua) -- A 17-member Chinese Antarctic expedition team set off on Saturday for Dome A, the highest polar icecap peak at an elevation of 4,093 meters.

This is the 24th Antarctic expedition conducted by Chinese scientists and their second attempt to survey the peak of Dome A after they made the first ever successful ascent by mankind on Jan. 18, 2005.