By South China Morning Post | Created at 2026-09-07 13:01:45 | Updated at 2026-09-07 13:45:11
45 minutes ago
China and Russia have conducted their first joint on-site sea ice survey in the
Arctic Ocean aboard the Xuelong 2 research icebreaker, as tensions continue to rise over economic opportunities in the rapidly warming northern region.
Two researchers from Russia’s Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute boarded Xuelong 2 as part of China’s 16th Arctic Ocean Expedition, according to a September 5 report by CCTV.
According to Lin Long, captain of the Xuelong 2 sea ice team, this joint observation has been more “practical” than previous Chinese Arctic voyages.
During the mission, they visually observed ice conditions along the ship’s route, recording details about the concentration, thickness and type of sea ice, snow cover, atmospheric factors and large animal sightings.
“By taking part in this joint observation, we were able to learn from the Chinese team’s experience in sea ice observation and draw on the valuable aspects of their observation methods,” the state broadcaster quoted Evgeniy Kozlovskiy, a lead engineer at the Russian institute, as saying.
The observations could complement satellite remote sensing, improve scientists’ understanding of climate change, and lay the foundation for more international cooperation, according to the report.
