2017-05-22 Special EnglishThis is Special English. I’m Mark Griffiths in Beijing. Here is the news.China will boost the development of online media by encouraging eligible websites to go public and create new mainstream media groups.A government blueprint has been issued by the Party authority and the State Council, China’s Cabinet. The document on cultural development and reform vowed to gradually set up a modern communication system by 2020.This is a major project to "build public opinion fronts" online. Efforts will be made to improve the communication abilities of major news websites and online radio and TV stations. It also aims to develop a system for communication on the mobile Internet.Eligible websites will be encouraged to go public.The authorities will give support to mainstream media institutions in developing their websites and new media. Efforts will be stepped up to guide and standardize investment in the Internet cultural sector with both state and private funds.Meanwhile, existing laws and regulations on news and publishing will be extended to cover the management of online media.This is Special English.A butt joint weighing 6,000 metric tons has been lowered into the Pearl River, bringing work on an underwater tunnel linked to the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge a step closer to completion.A chief engineer at the National Marine Environmental Forecasting Center said favorable weather conditions made it suitable for connecting the butt joint, which involved 160 welders.The tunnel is the final component of the long-awaited bridge which is scheduled to open to traffic later this year.The Y-shaped cross-sear bridge is estimated to cost more than 10 billion yuan, roughly 1.5 billion US dollars. It is expected to play a significant role in the economic development of the area comprising Guangdong province, Hong Kong and Macao.Construction started in 2009, and the bridge is part of China's planned national highway network, linking the eastern and western banks of the Pearl River.The bridge includes a 7-kilometer underwater tunnel and a 23-km overwater bridge, making it the longest cross-sea bridge in the world. The service life of the bridge is expected to reach more than 120 years.You're listening to Special English. I'm Mark Griffiths in Beijing.China's manned submarine Jiaolong has explored submarine turbidity currents in the South China Sea.With a depth of 2,980 meters, Jiaolong was underwater for almost 10 hours in the ocean scientific expedition.Three crew members in the submarine collected samples and measured environmental parameters in the ocean. They brought back sediment and seawater near the seabed as well as high-definition photos and video footage.Scientists say China started the research on submarine turbidity currents relatively late, compared with other countries. This study is a major challenge in geoscience.The dive helped scientists to obtain evidence of the topographic features in northeastern South China Sea. It enriched scientific understanding of canyon turbidity current in the region and provided key data and technical support for future research.The oceanic scientific expedition started in early February. The team will conduct surveys in the Yap Trench and the Mariana Trench later in the year.This is Special English.China's new-generation training vessel has set sail on its maiden voyage from the port city of Dalian in northeast China to South Africa. The 340-million-yuan, roughly 50 million US dollar-ocean-going vessel is China's most advanced cruise training ship. The 200-meter long ship, "Yupeng", is owned by the Dalian Maritime University.During its maiden voyage, 87 graduating students joined the crew to undergo training. It was also loaded with four locomotives and other equipment for customers in South Africa.Founded in 1909, Dalian Maritime University is one of China's largest ma