Garlanded with triumph and glory, Jiaolong, the manned submersible returned to Qingdao on July 16 after its record-breaking 7,000-meter dive. It returned to discover that a state-of-the-art deep-sea base, due to be completed at the end of next year, will be its new home.

Located in Aoshan Bay, Jimo, a county-level city north of downtown Qingdao, the National Deep-Sea Base Project is expected to cover a total land area of 26 hectares and a sea area of 62.7 hectares. It will rank the fifth of its kind in the world when completed next year.

According to the project's administration department, all the preparatory work including the land acquisition, has been finished, and construction is due to start by the end of this year.

The base will spearhead China's deep-sea scientific research and provide a national technology service platform.

"We will conduct explorations for resources and study and sample living marine resources. We will seek to commercialize the results of these activities and provide technical support for other industries," said Liu Baohua, head of the base's management team.

"We will also cater to all the major oceanographic vessels operating in international waters, manage large equipment, and develop new equipment," Liu added.

In addition, the base will be responsible for selecting and training new oceanauts, and it is expected to attract top domestic and overseas talent specializing in deep-water research, which will enable it to be a center for international cooperation.

"The deep-sea base will consolidate Qingdao's status as a marine scientific city, and deepen its deep-sea research talent pool. At the same time it will boost Qingdao's marine technology competitiveness and enhance its global image." said Liu.

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(China Daily 07/31/2012 page24)