China's satellite internet links Arctic, Antarctica, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau for first time

BEIJING, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- China's 16th Arctic Ocean expedition team said Monday that its polar icebreaker Jidi had completed a pre-operational application test of domestically developed satellite internet along Arctic shipping routes.

A welcome ceremony for members of China's 16th Arctic Ocean scientific expedition is held at the base dock in Shanghai on Sept 30. (Photo: Xinhua)

During the voyage, networked communications were successfully verified for the first time across the Arctic, Antarctica, and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, also known as the "Third Pole" of Earth, closing the last communications coverage gap in the world, according to the expedition team.

The expedition was organized by China's Ministry of Natural Resources.