President Hu handwrites inscription for China's Antarctic base on first anniversary of operation

Chinese President Hu Jintao has handwritten an inscription for China's Antarctic station, Kunlun, to celebrate the base's first anniversary of operation.

The Chinese characters handwritten by President Hu, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, have encouraged the members of China's 26th Antarctic expedition to carry out their mission with even greater efforts, team members said Thursday.

Team members said the inscription showed the Party and the State Council greatly support the polar expedition, promising to "make a great contribution to the mankind's peaceful use of Antarctica."

The Kunlun Station, established Jan. 27, 2009, is the country's first research station on the continent's inland. It is the only south pole station established at 4,000 meters above the sea level, which itself is a major step in polar exploration.

China dispatched its first Antarctic expedition team in 1984.

The 26th expedition team began its mission on Oct. 11 in Shanghai, with some 251 scientists, workers and crew members joining the six-month research project. The team will stay on the icy continent until April 10.

Source: Xinhua

http://paper.people.com.cn/rmrb/html/2010-02/12/nw.D110000renmrb_20100212_3-01.htm