SHANGHAI, July 2 (Antarctic Secretariat) - ‘Chinare Communication Association’, Jointly initiated by Antarctic Forum, Sun Yefang Foundation and Qingshui Bay Property of Agile Group, invited 150 leaders and honorable guests to visit Chinaren (Xuelong Vessel), China’s only scientific research  vessel to the polar areas in Shanghai on July 2^nd, 2014,  among whom we were more than delighted to find the presence of Mr. Junru Li, member of the standing committee of C.P.P.C.C, & former headmaster of the CPC Central Party School, Mr. Ji Liu, former deputy director of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences & honorary director of China Europe International Business School, Mr. Yujun Bao, chairman of All - China Private Enterprises Federation, Mr. Jiange Li, chairman of China International Capital Corporation Limited and Mr. Huiwen Yang, director of the Polar Research Institute of China. Participants enjoyed the legendary splendor of Chinare vessel, looked back into their past experience during Antarctic expeditions, and looked forward to the prospective future of Antarctic Forum. Various media，such as Dragon TV made special programs about the visiting activities.

Attendees to the ‘Chinare Communication Association’ kept appearing and checking in Shanghai Marriott Hotel City Center since 10 a.m. on July 1^st, and listened to the sharing lecture of polar expedition partners presented by Ms Huiwen Yu at 20:00 p.m. in the same evening.

The participants went in four buses respectively to visit the polar exhibition museum in Jinqiao Area, Pudong District in Shanghai at 7:40 a.m. on July 2^nd, and received warm welcome by leaders of the Polar Research Institute of China. Director Huigen Yang from the Polar Research Institute of China made a welcome speech to begin with, and briefly introduced the Polar Research Institute of China as well as the general information and future direction of China’s polar research. Mr. Ji Liu, former deputy director of Academy of China Social Sciences made a thanks address on behalf of the organizers and then the guests were shown around to the Polar Research Museum to popularize them with polar science knowledge and  familiarize them with the past and the  present of polar scientific research.

All the participants went on to visit Chinare, China’s only scientific research vessel to the polar region, which was parking at the China Polar Scientific Research dock. Mr. Shuoren Wang, political commissar of China’s 30^th Antarctic scientific research team, shared and exchanged with the guests information about Chinare (Xue Long Vessel). Climbing the steps of the vessel, the guests seemed, step by step, to walk into the story of Chinare: rescuing the besieged Russian passenger ship, breaking through heavily trapped glaciers, building Antarctic scientific research station Taishan, making the initial navigation around Antarctica and searching for the The Malaysian missing flight. They were then shown around in the whole vessel, from the living quarters, leisure areas, scientific research office, commanding and operating area to the helicopter landing place, and had pictures taken together.

Welcome banquet was chaired by Mr. Yutian Cai, executive secretary general of Antarctic Forum, in Dongjiao State Guest Hotel, Shanghai at noon. Mr. Bill Yip addressed a welcome speech, in which he expressed hearty thanks for the attendance of all the guests and introduced the coming important arrangements for Antarctic Forum in the year 2014, including holding the annual conference in Beijing in December with the theme ‘the future we want: world and China Dream’, and drafting the programmatic document ‘Antarctic Forum Development Report’. Mr. Jiange Li introduced the history, significance and present status of Sun Yefang Foundation. Mr. Junru Li gave a theme speech. Souvenirs were exchanged among China Polar Research Center, Sun Yefang Foundation, leaders from city of Jiujiang and city of Leping, Jiangxi Province and the organizers. There were also other activities carried out during the process, for example, disseminating the inaugural issue of ‘Antarctic Forum’ magazine and awarding landing certificates for the members of ‘Antarctic Forum 2013 Expedition to Antarctica’ event. At last, Mr. Yujun Bao made a concluding speech.

The guests went on to visit china Art Museum in Shanghai World Expo Park at 14:30 p.m. The fascinating scenery along the sidewalks of Shanghai World Expo sites attracted all the viewers who enjoyed themselves so much that they could not helping lingering over there.

Organizing institutions held the farewell banquet in Shanghai Marriott Hotel at 18:00 p.m. Artists gave excellent artistic performances, and the whole banquet hall was full of music and laughter, which promoted communications among all the guests present. The participants highly praised the activity ‘Chinare Communication Association’, which did not only enable them to walk in person into Chinare (Xue Long Vessel), but also enabled them to experience the warmth of the organizing institutions, deepen the mutual feelings and understandings, and have more confidence in the prospective development of the Antarctic Forum.

‘Chinare Communication Association’ activity came to an end at 21:00 p.m. on July 2^nd, 2014, in the chorus of AULD LANG SYNE sung by all the distinguished guests.