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Updated Friday, April 3, 2009 9:27 am TWN, The China Post news staff & agencies



	MV Xue Long, China's only polar research ship, is met by penguins during its latest expedition to the Antarctic, which began last October. (CNA) Enlarge Photo

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Taiwan, China to collaborate on Antarctic in research first

KAOHSIUNG, Taiwan -- Taiwan and China will cooperate on research in Antarctica for the first time, in a further sign of closer ties between both sides of the Taiwan Strait, scientists said yesterday.

Taiwanese researchers are expected to join China's icebreaker and research vessel MV Xue Long (Snow Dragon) when it sets off for Antarctica in late October or November, said Wang Wei-hsien, director of Taiwan's Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium.

“We hope to draw on China's experience in Antarctica to research topics such as the environmental impact of global warming and sustainable resources,” Wang said.

The MV Xue Long, carrying some 80 scientists and 40 crew, arrived at Taiwan's southern port of Kaohsiung on Wednesday en route to Shanghai, on the return journey from its 25th mission to Antarctica.

MV Xue Long, anchored at Kaohsiung Harbor's True Love Wharf, will remain open to the Taiwan public, students and maritime researchers Thursday and Friday until it departs for China Saturday.

Up to 1,000 visitors per day will be permitted aboard the ship, said officials from the National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium in the southern county of Pingtung, which is one of the organizations hosting the Xue Long's first port call in Taiwan.

MV Xue Long has just concluded its latest expedition to the Antarctic, which began last October. It is China's only polar research ship and is owned by the Polar Research Institute of China, which operates three research stations in the Antarctic and one in the Arctic.

Wei Wenliang, a deputy director with the Polar Research Institute of China, said the ship's call in Kaohsiung is purely academic in nature and sets the stage for several Taiwanese scientists to join its next research expedition to the Antarctic this October.

Four Taiwanese scientists will join the expedition in what will be the first joint cross-Taiwan Strait polar exploration.

The Taiwanese team will focus on marine biology research and be comprised of experts from the National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium, National Dong Hwa University in the eastern county of Hualien and Cheng Shiu University in the southern county of Kaohsiung.

The latest cooperation venture with China is expected to be of great help to Taiwan's polar research in light of China's rich experience and resources in this area, he added.

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