President hails commissioning of deep-ocean drilling vessel

President Xi Jinping has called for continuous efforts to make the best use of a new deep-ocean drilling vessel, named Mengxiang, or Dream, which was commissioned on Sunday in Guangzhou, Guangdong province.

In a congratulatory letter sent to all organizations and people involved in the project, Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, said the successful trial run and commissioning of the Mengxiang marks an important step in China's deep-ocean access, exploration and development.

It also marks a new significant achievement in turning the country into a great power in marine sectors, as well as in science and technology, he wrote.

Xi noted that the workers involved in the design and construction of the vessel tapped the advantage of the nation's unique resource mobilization system, which is characterized by its ability to mobilize all available resources to overcome difficulties and achieve desired goals. They managed to overcome several major technical difficulties, displaying their confidence, self-reliance and sense of mission and responsibility, he wrote, applauding their spirit of innovation, teamwork, perseverance and courage.

"I hope that you can keep working hard to make the best use of this important science and technology asset, enhance innovation and creativity in marine science and technology, and expand international cooperation in marine sectors, so as to make greater contributions to Chinese modernization and the building of a community with a shared future for humanity," Xi wrote in his letter, which was read out on Sunday by Vice-Premier He Lifeng at the vessel's commissioning ceremony.

The Mengxiang is China's first domestically designed and built deep-ocean drilling ship. It will be used to drill through the Earth's crust and into the upper mantle for surveying resources and collecting samples.