China selects 4th Antarctic station

China's Antarctic expedition team has completed a survey of the site for the nation's fourth Antarctic station during its 29th visit to the planet's southernmost area.

The site is located in the Ross sea area, close to the stations of South Korea and Italy and 300 kilometers to the north of the McMurdo Station, the largest US Antarctic research center.

One to two more Antarctic stations will be built during the 12th Five-Year Plan (2011 to 2015), according to Qu Tanzhou, head of China's Antarctic expedition team.

Since 1984, Chinese scientists have staged expeditions every year to three Antarctic stations – Great Wall Station on King George Island, Zhongshan Station in the Larsemann Hills and Kunlun Station on Dome A, the highest place in Antarctica.

Members of China's Antarctic expedition team hold up a sign of the coordinates of the new site for the nation's fourth Antarctic station on Jan 6, 2013. [Photo/Xinhua]