China's 42nd Antarctic expedition hit a new milestone as the Xuelong icebreaker successfully arrived at the country's Qinling Station on Sunday evening after a challenging two-week voyage through treacherous sea ice.
Xuelong is currently conducting the unloading of about 1,400 tons of vital supplies, including logistical support, engineering materials, scientific equipment, and fuel for the Qinling Station.
The vessel departed two weeks ago from an unloading site in the waters near Zhongshan Station. En route, it braved a range of extreme polar conditions, including dense floating ice, and multiple cyclones.
Traveling with its sister ship, Xuelong 2, the pair first navigated the solid ice region of Prydz Bay and then the chaotic outer ice zone. However, worsening weather and increasingly dense ice made forward progress difficult.
"The ice ahead was too dense to pass through, and we ended up getting stranded for seven or eight hours. We reassessed the ice maps and found a new route out," said Wu Jicai, second officer aboard Xuelong.
As time passed and the pack ice began to shift, Xuelong managed to break free, entering navigable waters after repeated forward pushes. A day later, Xuelong 2 also found a new ice channel and exited the hazardous zone. The two ships then split, Xuelong heading east toward Qinling Station and Xuelong 2 heading west on separate research missions.
China's 42nd Antarctic expedition team set sail from Shanghai on November 1 for a 19-month scientific campaign, which is scheduled to conclude in May 2026 with both vessels expected to return to China.
After the arrival, the real work has begun for the 38-member Qinling Station team, who had been aboard the vessel since departure.
"After two months of drifting at sea, it's been a long time coming. Our team has been waiting for this moment. We are eager to begin our work immediately and make all our missions this year for the construction, research, and logistical support at Qinling Station a success, " said Wang Tao, director of Qinling Station.
Qinling Station, China's fifth Antarctic research station, began operation on Feb 7, 2024. Built in 1989, Zhongshan Station is China's second permanent research property in Antarctica.
China's polar research icebreaker Xuelong reaches Qinling Station
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi should apologize for and retreat her errouneous aggressive remarks on China's Taiwan region, as the rhetoric in her words could destabilize domestic society and harm Japan's relations with neighbors, Japanese scholars said recently.
Shinako Oyakawa, a lecturer at the Okinawa University who has long focused on security and peace issues, said that Takaichi' remarks are inflammatory, have seriously violated the spirit of Japan's pacifist constitution and caused harmful consequences for the public.
She said that Takaichi needs to issue a clear apology and formally retract her remarks.
Takaichi on November 7, 2025, made blatant and provocative remarks on Taiwan at the Diet, claiming that a Taiwan contingency could constitute a "survival-threatening situation" for Japan, and implying that Japan might invoke the so-called "right to collective self-defense" for armed intervention across the Taiwan Strait.
"She made such remarks in parliament, the kind of rhetoric commonly used by the 'internet right wing,' sounding exactly like what people in that circle would say. Such remarks give the impression that they are ready to go to the battlefield, even willing to start a war. This kind of rhetoric is extremely dangerous," said Oyakawa.
Oyakawa said that the remarks have caused significant losses and both ruling and opposition parties have oversimplified the issue.
"The remarks have already caused significant damage in various aspects. The relevant figures are still being tallied, and the extent of the damage is truly unimaginable. Both the ruling and opposition parties have oversimplified the issue; or, their attitudes have been ambiguous, out of fear of facing it. However, this is not an issue that can be easily glossed over. She must issue a clear apology and formally retract her remarks," Oyakawa said.
Japan's history education has long avoided or distorted accounts of its wars of aggression launched by Japan against Asian neighbors, leaving few with a true understanding of historical facts. This, Oyakawa said, has further accelerated the overall rightward shift in Japanese society.
"As the number of war survivors dwindles, the practice of distorting history in Japan is becoming increasingly rampant. Almost no one knows about the suffering endured by our Asian neighbors. What the Japanese exactly did abroad and what war responsibility Japan bears are completely absent from textbooks," said Oyakawa.
As an Okinawan, Oyakawa said she strongly feels the government's military buildup has brought fear and anxiety to residents.
"Fighter jets and helicopters fly overhead everyday, and the roar of military aircraft becomes routine. On average, Okinawa experiences several plane crashes or incidents of falling parts each year. The militarization of Okinawa is escalating, bringing fear and unease to residents. I think that this situation must be stopped from further worsening," said Oyakawa.
Koichi Nakano, professor of political science at Sophia University, also criticized Takaichi's leadership, saying her team showed little consideration for relations with China and her remarks damage Japan-China relations and undermine Japan's own economic and social stability.
Nakano also said that Japanese society faces a serious problem, as awareness about and reflection on Japan's wartime aggression continue to fade. He stressed that only by facing up to history and engaging with neighboring countries on equal terms can Japan lay the groundwork for rebuilding ties with China.
"Japan's biggest problem is that the recognition of history with China is gradually fading. The sentiment of reflecting on the aggression history and apologizing for it has not been fully passed down between generations. More and more people are unaware of the historical facts, believing that 'that's all in the past' and that no further apology or remorse is necessary. This is an extremely serious issue. (The Japanese government should) build friendly relations on an equal footing, conduct objective and accurate mutual evaluations of the past and present, and rebuild bilateral relations," said Nakano.
Japanese prime minister should apologize, retract erroneous remarks on Taiwan: Japanese scholars
