Ship carrying China submersible to arrive in South China Sea

MANILA, Philippines - An oceanographic survey ship carrying Jiaolong, a manned deep-sea submersible, is expected to arrive at a designated dive area in the South China Sea for scientific research.

A report of the state-owned Chinese news agency Xinhua said Jiaolong would conduct tests on its positioning system during the journey.

The submersible will also conduct research in the northeast Pacific Ocean and the west Pacific during its 103-day mission.

Sun Hulin, a meteorological technician, said sea conditions would not affect the ship’s voyage.

The manned submersible left the country’s eastern port city of Jiangyin on Monday on support ship Xiangyanghong 9 for its first voyage of experimental application.

Chinese naval authorities said China’s first aircraft carrier, Liaoning, also left its homeport in Qingdao in east China’s Shandong province to conduct scientific experiment and sea training.

The People’s Liberation Army Navy said it was the first time the carrier left its homeport for a training voyage since it anchored there in February.

The Liaoning was delivered to the PLA Navy on Sept. 25, 2012.