China's manned submersible Jiaolong plans to conduct five dives in the Yap Trench starting June 4, its first in the area since the completion of five dives at Mariana Trench, the world's deepest known point.

The dives will focus on research in deep-sea biotic communities and gene resources, according to scientists on the ship.

Jiaolong completed a series of dives in the Mariana Trench on June 1 and was transferred aboard its mother ship Xiangyanghong to the Yap Trench afterwards.

Expedition members prepare to finish their journey to Mariana Trench and head to Yap Trench on June 2, 2017. /Xinhua Photo

The Mariana and Yap trenches are located in the west Pacific Ocean. The Yap Trench has a depth of 8,527 meters, and the Mariana Trench, the deepest known point in Earth's oceans, has a depth of 11,034 meters.

This is the third and final stage of China's 38th oceanic scientific expedition that started on February 6 and is scheduled to finish on June 18. The two previous stages were successfully completed in the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea, respectively.

Named after a mythical dragon, Jiaolong reached its deepest point of 7,062 meters in the Mariana Trench in June 2012.

(Source: Xinhua)

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