Chinese scientists set sail from Shanghai aboard Xuelong 2 on Monday, the country's first domestically built polar icebreaker, for China's 12th Arctic expedition.

It marks the first scientific expedition to the Arctic in China's 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025). The vessel is expected to return to Shanghai in late September, after a trip of 15,000 nautical miles.

The expedition, organized by China's Ministry of Natural Resources, will see a series of investigations conducted into climate change, ecosystems, ocean acidification, and new pollutants.

The findings are expected to further improve China's scientific understanding of the mid-ocean ridge.

Produced by Xinhua Global Service