China-New Zealand deep sea expedition team discovers new marine life

A groundbreaking collaborative dive expedition between Chinese and New Zealand scientists has revealed new marine life forms in the Puysegur Trench -- one of the world’s deepest ocean trenches, located off the southern coast of New Zealand.

The joint expedition was conducted by the CAS Institute of Deep-Sea Science and Engineering (IDSSE), in collaboration with New Zealand’s National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA). The mission also marked the first international scientific dive in the Puysegur Trench, and the second collaborative deep-sea expedition between China and New Zealand.

Using China's state-of-the-art Fendouzhe submersible, the three-month expedition conducted a world record 32 dives. Almost 3,000 samples were collected from the 800-kilometer-long trench in New Zealand's Southern Ocean. The scientists were able to dive more than six kilometers to the sea floor, observe how animals survive in these extreme conditions, and conduct vital research on climate change.

"It's amazing feeling, seeing that with your own eyes, seeing the animals serenely swimming around on the bottom, and the little sea cucumbers munching away on the mud at the seafloor. So yeah, it's amazing experience," said Sadie Mills, a New Zealand scientist.

The expedition leader said it is "a dream come true" to be able to study how chemicals rise from the earth’s core to provide food and energy for marine life.

The research has also provided New Zealand with valuable knowledge about marine life -- knowledge that would not have been possible without Chinese technology.

"It was an amazing opportunity for us to get access to parts of the trench and get some understanding about how those deep environments operate that we could never do ourselves," said Rob Murdoch, deputy chief executive of NIWA.

The initial findings were revealed aboard the scientific research ship Tan Suo Yi Hao (Discovery One). China's ambassador said the scientific collaboration demonstrates the value of China's strategic partnership with New Zealand.

"Our bilateral exchanges and cooperation in various fields have brought tangible benefits to both peoples," said Wang Xiaolong, Chinese ambassador to New Zealand.

This expedition will undoubtedly advance human exploration of the deep ocean and deepen our understanding of the ocean’s potential impact on climate change.

"The oceans are an intimate part of the climate system. They're already changing, and they're already having an influence on our atmospheric climate," Rob Murdoch added.

The expedition involved 68 scientists from eight countries -- including New Zealand, Malaysia, Denmark, Germany, France, Brazil, India, and China -- who aim to raise global awareness about life on the seafloor and its connection to climate change.

"So we need these international collaborations and seagoing expeditions worldwide to understand the global distribution of carbon, and how it finally ended in the sea floor," noted Frank Wenzhofer, a German scientist.

China-New Zealand deep sea expedition team discovers new marine life

A former television host from Taiwan, Zhai Xuan, has made a pivotal decision to leave mainstream broadcasting in order to create content that provides a better understanding of the Chinese mainland and cross-strait relations.

Zhai, a seasoned television host with over a decade of experience in Taiwan's media landscape, recently addressed an audience at an event in Beijing, where she revealed her complete transition into independent online media.

In her remarks, she articulated her aspiration to bridge what she perceives as a significant information gap between audiences on both sides of the Strait, highlighting her commitment to fostering a deeper understanding and connection through her new endeavors.

"I was really surprised by all the fake news. There were stories saying people on the mainland can't afford tea eggs or that they live in mud houses and in Taiwan, this was the main information many people received," said Zhai.

Zhai said she initially began producing online videos to challenge such perceptions while continuing her work as a television host.

In April 2025, she travelled to the mainland with her father to fulfill her late grandfather's wish to return to his hometown. The trip, which reunited family members separated since 1949, was recorded in a video series titled "Journey to Find Our Roots", drawing attention from viewers in both Taiwan and the mainland.

"Many people in Taiwan told me that after watching, they wanted to apply for a mainland travel permit immediately and go looking for their relatives. Some had long forgotten these things, but after seeing my story, they began thinking about their hometowns and family members they had never met and decided to search for their roots," Zhai shared her story at the event.

By mid-2025, Zhai said she began to feel increasing pressure amid rising political tensions and a tightening atmosphere around cross-Strait exchanges in Taiwan.

After more than 12 years in the industry, Zhai resigned from her position, believing it was the right thing to do.

"At that moment, I felt this was a major issue，not just for me, but for Chinese people on both sides of the Strait. If I backed down then, I wouldn’t be standing on the right side," said Zhai.

Since leaving television, Zhai has broadened her online programming to encompass a range of daily-life topics, including practical guidance on applying for a mainland travel permit and using commonly employed mobile applications, in addition to content that delves into historical memory and cultural connections across the Strait.

As the debate over cross-Strait relations continues in Taiwan, Zhai said she remains committed to her current path.

Former Taiwan TV host bridges cross-Strait divide via online media