China continues its efforts in deep-sea exploration and research. After nearly a year, the Chinese marine research vessel, HAI YANG LIU HAO, or Ocean Number 6, has returned to Dongguan city in Guangdong province, with plenty of samples and lessons in research techniques. CGTN's He Weiwei has more.  

219 days, 130 specialists, 53 thousand kilometers. HAI YANG LIU HAO, a research vessel belonging to the Guangzhou Marine Geological Survey, has finished its voyage across the western Pacific Ocean and returned to China. Scientists conducted a wide range of research. They collected geological data and samples from the deep sea by using China's unmanned submersible "Haima", which can dive to a depth of 4,500 meters via remote control.

HE WEIWEI DONGGUAN CITY, GUANGDONG PROVINCE "This is the biggest sample collected from deep sea during this voyage. It looks like a huge black rock, it's hard, and weighs 62 kilograms, that's equivalent to the weight of an adult. This 'rock' is called a 'cobalt-rich crust', that means the crust contains large amount of cobalt, which is a rare source, and a kind of metal that can be used to make batteries for new energy vehicles and special materials used in aviation and aerospace projects."

Scientists also explored other mineral resources, and observed marine life. Apart from their work with Haima, they made technological breakthroughs in deep sea drilling and photography.

YANG YONG CHIEF SCIENTIST, HAI YANG LIU HAO "We installed a 'three-point laser system' for the deep sea camera. It's like having a measuring scale while detecting, so we're able to detect multiple parameters rather than only one."

Three scientists from Mexico, Ghana and Kenya were also on board alongside Chinese scientists, as the voyage carried out international training missions.

HE GAOWEN DEP. CHIEF GEOSCIENTIST, GUANGZHOU MARINE GEOLOGICAL SURVEY "Our 17 Chinese scientists conducted 28 trainings for them, which lasted for one month, including sampling techniques, geophysical exploration techniques, marine environment evaluation methods so on and so forth."

Hai Yang Liu Hao set off from Guangzhou city in June of last year. This is the seventh deep sea scientific expedition carried out by the vessel. HWW, CGTN, GONGGUAN.