China has completed a 537-day deep-sea material corrosion test, setting a new global record for the longest such experiment, said the China State Shipbuilding Corporation Limited (CSSC) on Saturday.
After more than a year and a half of exposure at a depth of 11,000 meters, retrieved deep-sea samples show varying coating performance, offering valuable data for future long-term marine material design.
"This is a sample we retrieved after conducting tests for 537 days at a depth of 11,000 meters on the seabed. These are all coating-protection experiments. Based on the current condition of this sample, we can see that many materials have very poor corrosion resistance in the deep sea. A lot of the coatings have already started to peel off, while some others still remain intact. We'll conduct further in-depth analysis in the lab to draw more definitive conclusions," said Sun Mingxian, deputy chief engineer and researcher of the CSSC's 725 Research Institute.
The test was designed to evaluate the long-term corrosion resistance of materials and coatings in the 10,000-meter deep-sea environment.
"These authentic deep-sea data allow for more precise design in terms of corrosion allowance. They provide accurate guidance for coating formulations while enabling improvements to cathodic protection parameters, directly boosting the reliability and safety of equipment," said Liao Zhiqian, deputy head of the 725 Institute.
China's 11,000-meter deep-sea corrosion test sets new global record for duration
The 32nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting concluded in east China's Suzhou on Saturday, yielding fruitful results and laying significant groundwork for the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in November.
The trade ministers' meeting focused on "building an open and predictable regional and multilateral economic and trade order" and "fostering new engines of innovative and dynamic trade and investment cooperation."
Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao briefed the media on the meeting's outcomes at a press conference.
Wang said the meeting issued a joint statement titled the Suzhou Statement, and approved the latest edition of the APEC Roadmap for Innovative, Competitive and Resilient Services.
All parties agreed to advance policy innovation and reform in services trade, build an open and predictable investment environment, improve regional trade facilitation and supply chain resilience, strengthen standards coordination, and enhance intellectual property protection, Wang told the media.
He also said that substantial progress was made on a framework document for regional digital trade cooperation and the ministers emphasized promoting inclusive AI development, strengthening AI-related trade, and bridging the digital divide to ensure shared benefits from digital transformation.
The minister noted that the outcomes of the meeting demonstrated strong cooperation willingness, highlighted an innovation-oriented approach, and reflected inclusiveness and shared benefits. "The fact that Asia-Pacific economies can come together, uphold the original aspiration of promoting trade and investment liberalization and facilitation while supporting economic growth and prosperity, and engage in in-depth discussions on the important issue of 'where multilateral and regional economic and trade cooperation is headed,' fully demonstrates that open regionalism and true multilateralism enjoy broad support, and that mutual success and shared development serve the fundamental interests of all economies," Wang said.
2026 APEC trade ministers' meeting concludes with fruitful results
