China, Chile to explore Atacama Trench in Pacific with ‘tools no other country possesses’

South China Morning PostCenter-RightEN 1 min read 100% complete by Emiliano Martínez ViademonteJanuary 19, 2026 at 02:00 AM

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China and Chile have launched a joint three-month expedition to explore the Atacama Trench in the eastern Pacific Ocean. Departing from Valparaiso, Chile, aboard the Chinese research vessel Tan Suo Yi Hao, the mission aims to study the trench's geology and search for new life forms. Led by the Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Millennium Institute of Oceanography of the University of Concepcion, Chile, the expedition will involve numerous research stations and submersible dives. Chilean scientists will utilize unique tools possessed by China to accelerate research on subduction processes along the Pacific seismic belt, which has implications for understanding earthquakes and tsunamis in regions including China, Japan, and Southeast Asia. The expedition is described as the largest operation of its kind in the area to date.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Koreas 30% Japan 30% Southeast Asia 30% Valparaiso 40% University of Concepcion 50% Millennium Institute of Oceanography 60% Tan Suo Yi Hao ×260% Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering of the Chinese Academy of Sciences 60% Pacific Ocean ×270% Atacama Trench ×280% China ×390% Chile ×390%

Keywords

atacama trench 100% deep-sea research 80% china-chile collaboration 70% research expedition 70% submersible dives 60% pacific ocean 60% seismic belt 50% earthquakes and tsunamis 50% new forms of life 40% geological insights 40%

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Positive

Score: 0.40

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South China Morning Post

Political Lean

Center-Right (0.50)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

Geographic Perspective

China

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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atacama trench deep-sea research china-chile collaboration research expedition submersible dives pacific ocean seismic belt earthquakes and tsunamis new forms of life geological insights

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