China has built a field laboratory in the northeastern South China Sea, the focus of which will primarily be deep-sea sediments from 8 million years ago.

An integrated observation system of the dynamic deep-sea sedimentary process has been built to collect important marine data and collect sediment samples from the deep sea. The South China Sea is an ideal place to study deep-sea deposits, given its unique geographical position and complicated pattern of currents, said Liu Zhifei, a professor at the State Key Laboratory of Marine Geology under Tongji University.

Liu noted that his team has already proven the existence of contour currents in the northern basin of the South China Sea, in addition to identifying two typical mid-ocean canyons in the region. He pointed out that the third South China Sea exploration voyage aims to trace the deep sea sedimentary process, adding that the JOIDES Resolution vessel has drilled 600 meters into the South China Sea seabed, discovering sediment samples that serve as a record of evolution over 8 million years.