ST. PETERSBURG, August 23. /TASS/. Scientists of leading Russian and Chinese polar organizations agreed to conduct joint research in the Arctic, press service of the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute (AARI, St. Petersburg) said.
"Scientists of the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, the Chinese Arctic and Antarctic Administration and the Polar Research Institute of China have agreed preparations for joint scientific projects in the Arctic," the press service said. "First consultation meetings will begin this autumn."
Chinese scientists were invited to join the Russian scientific Arctic Expedition on Spitsbergen and the North Pole drifting expeditions, and they, in turn, invited Russian scientists to join an expedition on China's Xuelong 2 research icebreaker.
"We have common interests and we share ways to develop further cooperation," the press service quoted the Chinese Arctic and Antarctic Administration's Deputy Director Lin Taiyong as saying. "We must develop a system where Russian and Chinese scientists could visit scientific stations of our countries. The polar regions are a huge cluster for interdisciplinary research and for addressing common problems in science."
Chinese and Russian scientists have been successfully cooperating in the Antarctica, and now it is high time to expand this cooperation to the North Pole. "It is important not only to develop existing scientific projects and share experiences, but also to look into the future - to solve large-scale scientific tasks, to introduce advanced technologies, and to train young specialists. Each country has its own advantages, and by joining efforts we will be able to achieve great success," Director of the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute Alexander Makarov said.