National Deep-sea Base to Begin Construction
Construction of China's national deep-sea base is expected to begin this year in eastern Shandong Province. Located in east China's coastal city of Qingdao, the base will cost RMB 495 million in its first-phase construction and will be a multi-functional institution devoted to exploration of the ocean.
Initial planning for the base has been finished, and detailed construction plans are being drafted, said Liu Baohua, director of the base's administrative center. Construction will start after the State Ocean Administration approves the blueprints.
Scientists believe that the area's seabed holds rich deposits of rare metals and methane hydrate, a solidified form of natural gas that may serve as a new source of energy. |