China’s first homemade icebreaker Xue Long 2 to come to Hong Kong in April

Citizens will be able to get onboard China’s first homemade icebreaker “Xue Long 2” when the vessel visits Hong Kong from April 8 to 12 as invited by the Green Future Foundation Association and the Polar Research Institute of Hong Kong.

Registration will open next Tuesday (Mar 19) while the Polar Research and Climate Change Exhibition will begin at the Hong Kong Science Museum to echo the event next Monday until June 26.

The institute’s founder Ho Kin-chung believes citizens will have a sense of profound recognition that the first port the icebreaker sails into is Hong Kong upon returning from the country’s 40th Antarctic expedition.

Ho continued that “Xue Long 1” came to Hong Kong some 20 years ago and he has been advocating for this second visit starting last October, with his proposal receiving overwhelming support from the government and various sectors.

Some 90 top scientists onboard the icebreaker will come alongside as well for an exchange with over 200 students, he added.

Lawmaker Ma Fung-kwok, also the chair of the organizing committee, said there will be a grand welcome ceremony, with government vessels, Star Ferry ships and fish boats parading on the sea and aircrafts from the Government Flying Service gliding in the sky.

The Ocean Terminal will also have performances attended by Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu, officials from the Chinese liaison office and senior officials from the Chinese Ministry of Natural Resources.

Ho expects there will be some 3,000 visitors during those five days with about 500 to 1,000 visitors each day. The icebreaker will open to the public from 8.30 am to 7.30 pm from April 9 to 11 and will close early at 12.30 pm on April 12.

Interested citizens can register using their real names at online platform “uutix” starting 11 am next Tuesday, while authorities have yet to set a registration deadline.

Ma said the organizers didn’t apply for the Mega Arts and Cultural Events Fund in time, adding that this event is mainly in cooperation with the Environment and Ecology Bureau.