Chinese scientists set out from Shanghai Monday for the country's 21st expedition to Antarctica, hoping to make it to the summit of Dome A, the highest point on the ice-covered continent.

The expedition marks the first human attempt to scale the peak, which is 4,083 meters above sea level.

The expedition has 146 members, including a research team composed of nine field researchers, one doctor and two television reporters.

Li Yuansheng, a research fellow with the Polar Research Institute of China and head of the research team, said that a major task for the expedition is to make preparations for selecting a location for China's third research station in Antarctica.

Currently, China has two stations on the continent, Zhongshan (Dr. Sun Yat-sen) and Changcheng (the Great Wall).

The expedition is expected to last about 150 days. Xuelong, the expedition ship (which means "Snow Dragon"), is scheduled to return to Shanghai at the end of March, 2005.

(Xinhua News Agency October 26, 2004)