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16 Chinese scientists to explore Mekong River

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-11-21 03:43

TIANJIN: Sixteen Chinese scientists will start an exploration mission of the Mekong River on November 26, exploration team head Tao Baoxiang said here Friday.

Huo Mingyuan, chief scientist, said the 20-day exploration aims to get to know the river's current ecosystem situation, how the ecosystem evolve and its impact.

The mission also aims to know its biodiversity and current state of its  water resources, Huo said.

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The team includes experts from the Chinese Academy of Science's Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Institute of Hydrobiology and Kunming Institute of Botany.

The team will start the exploration from Xishuangbanna in southwest China's Yunnan Province and then go down the river, which is called Lancang River in China.

Sun Jiulin, academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering, said the mission is also significant for the opening-up of western border regions and China's cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN) in politics, economy, and culture.