HAIKOU, March 20. /TASS/. The Chinese Research Center for Shipbuilding (also known as Research Center 702) donated the Fendouzhe ("Fighter") manned bathyscaphe it designed to the Deep Sea Research Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences on Hainan, reported www.hinews.cn.
According to the news outlet, in accordance with the signed memorandum, the island province will embark on research projects that provide for much more authority when using this underwater vehicle. Thus, this key scientific and technical project of the thirteenth five-year plan (2016-2020) will continue to play an important role in the next five years in the implementation of promising programs for the study of the resources of the South China Sea and the Pacific Ocean.
According to the news outlet, several Chinese universities and departments have formed a coordinating committee that will deal with issues related to the operation of Fendouzhe, as well as another bathyscaphe — Shenhai Yongshi ("Deep Sea Warrior") — for scientific purposes and during rescue operations at sea. These projects will be directly related to the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, as well as several other competent state agencies.
According to the plans of the said committee, both underwater vehicles will be able to participate in international projects. Exactly two years ago, the President of the Russian Academy of Sciences Alexander Sergeev told TASS that their Chinese counterparts had invited specialists from the Russia to participate in the study of gas hydrates in the South China Sea. According to him, such projects can become one of the important promising areas of joint activities of Russia and China in the development of deep ocean resources.
In November 2020, Fendouzhe set a new Сhinese record for sinking to the bottom of the Mariana Trench, sinking to a depth of more than 10.9 km. After successfully completing the mission, it returned to Hainan's port of Sanya.