A group of Chinese scientists and journalists will fly to Irkutsk of Russia on July 19, to join in Russian scientists to study mineral resources in Siberia.

The Sino-Russian joint expedition is part of China's Year of Russia programs, to bolster bilateral relations in all fields.

China hopes the Siberia tour would help Chinese scientists find a new way to look for mineral resources in the country's northeastern area, which neighbors Russia's Far East region.

In addition to mineral resources, the joint expedition team will also study local environment, regional economy and aquatic biology.

The 32-member Chinese team will comprise scientists from five institutes of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and journalists from Chinese media.

The Siberia tour is regarded as an extension of last year's Sino-Russian expedition of the Lake of Baikal in Russia. In August2005, a group of Chinese and Russian scientists conducted the first Sino-Russian joint expedition for the study of aquatic animals and biology in the area.

Editor: Xu Shenglan