A Chinese submersible conducted the country's deepest manned dive Tuesday in the latest technical milestone for China, which theoretically puts most of the ocean floor's vast resources within its reach.
The Jiaolong undersea craft -- named after a mythical sea dragon -- reached 5,057 metres (16,591 feet) below sea level in a test dive in international waters of the northeastern Pacific, the official Xinhua news agency said.
Though less than half as deep as a record 1960 dive by the US Navy, the achievement highlights a Chinese push to catch up with advanced nations in space, sea, and polar exploration, which has revealed fast-growing technical capabilities.