China's icebreaker Xuelong-2 returns after record Antarctic expedition

China's polar research icebreaker Xuelong-2 arrived in Haikou, south China's Hainan Province, on Wednesday morning, successfully concluding the country's 41st Antarctic expedition. The 208-day voyage, which began in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province, on November 1, 2024, spanned over 40,000 nautical miles, marking another milestone in China's polar exploration.

The expedition achieved a historic first: China's inaugural autumn research campaign in the Ross Sea ecosystem, venturing beyond traditional summer surveys to confront the region's harsher autumn-winter conditions. The team conducted 24 comprehensive oceanographic surveys across four transects, deployed 34 specialized observation buoys and collected more than 5,000 samples – including water, sediment cores, biological specimens and sea ice – significantly expanding scientific understanding of Antarctic ecosystems.

The mission fostered international cooperation, involving 12 scientists from eight countries – the UK, the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, Norway, South Korea, Thailand and Malaysia – to advance global polar research and conservation efforts.

Coinciding with the 50th anniversary of China-Thailand diplomatic relations, Xuelong-2 made its maiden visit to Thailand from May 19 to 23 as part of the China-Thailand Marine Cooperation Month. Researchers from the nations co-hosted a polar science conference to expand collaboration and organized public exhibitions to promote polar conservation awareness in Thailand.

The expedition highlighted China's expanding role in Antarctic science and global environmental governance, driving scientific innovation while strengthening international partnerships. By pushing the boundaries of polar research, Xuelong-2's achievements underscored China's commitment to advancing both scientific discovery and collaborative stewardship of Earth's last wilderness.