China's icebreaker research vessel Xuelong 2 departs Shanghai for Arctic, July 12, 2021. [Photo provided to China News Service by the Ministry of Natural Resources]
Xuelong 2, or Snow Dragon 2, departed from Shanghai on Monday for a scientific expedition mission to the North Pole.
It will sail about 15,000 nautical miles on its research mission, and return to home port in Shanghai in late September.