China seems intent on making a name for itself around the world after emerging from its slumber of a few decades, and soon, the world’s most populous country might overtake the world’s biggest economy as well. Industry is not in short supply at all, with the Jialong submersible being the test case for Chinese scientists in their attempt to complete the world’s deepest dive. This manned submersible is said to hit the depths sometime next year, where it will attempt to touch the 7,000 metres (22,966 ft) mark beneath the sea’s surface – after plenty of test dives, of course.
The Jiaolong managed to touch 5,057 metres in international waters in the Pacific earlier this morning, which means the Jialong is more than capable of seeing action in “over 70% of the seabeds in the world,” according to head of the diving operation, Wang Fei.
If the Jialong is successful in its quest next year, then Japan’s Shinkai 6500 that touched 6,527 metres in August 1989 will surely be knocked off its perch in record books, and the people over at the Guinness Book of World Records will have some updating to do.
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