China has completed an extreme-depth underwater craft capable of sending researchers 7,000 metres (23,100 feet) deep, state media said Monday.
The submersible was built last year and testing was slated to begin soon, the Xinhua news agency reported, citing Sun Zhihui, director of the State Oceanic Administration.
A submersible differs from submarines in that it typically depends on a mother ship for support such as its power supply.
If successful, the vessel would be the first manned vehicle to reach such depths, Xinhua said, adding that manned submersibles could only descend to 6,500 metres below the sea level.
The submersible could carry a crew of up to three people and would play an important role in deep-sea exploration for natural resources and in polar research, Sun said.
Sun did not give a specific timetable for testing.
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