GUANGZHOU – China conducted a scientific survey of the southwest basin of the South China Sea around the end of July, the China Geological Survey (CGS) said on Tuesday.
The expedition acquired a “high-quality integrative geographic profile” of the basin’s 1,000-km-long survey line, which stretches from the region’s Xisha Islands to the Nansha Islands, according to a press release from the CGS.
The expedition allows scientists to study the evolution of tectonic activity in the South China Sea and predict disasters such as earthquakes and tsunamis, the CGS said.
The survey is also of significance for countries around the South China Sea, as they will be able to use the data to enhance their ability to prevent and reduce the effects of disasters, it said.
The survey lasted from June 13 to July 31 and was carried out by the Chinese research vessel Tanbao in collaboration with a French research unit. Recent typhoons prevented the researchers from surveying part of the region, therefore some data is yet to be supplied later, the CGS said.