Russia and China are preparing to sign a cooperation agreement on the Snowflake International Arctic Station, the ambassador-at-large of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Nikolai Korchunov, told Sputnik.
"A draft of the cooperation agreement has been agreed upon with China, the dates and place of its signing are being worked out. All scientific and educational organizations interested, as well as Chinese companies can join this project," Korchunov said.
The Chinese ministry of science and technology has chosen the Harbin Engineering University as a partner for the Russian coordinator on the project, the diplomat said.
Russia is open to the development of mutually beneficial scientific cooperation in the Arctic region and is ready to consider possible proposals of other countries concerning cooperation on the Snowflake project, he added.
The Snowflake (Snezhinka) International Arctic Station is designed as a year-round research facility that runs on renewable energy and hydrogen fuel. The station is meant to act as a platform for scientists and other researchers to work on problems related to the Arctic region. The station will consist of several dome-type buildings connected by passages. The location of the buildings from above resembles a snowflake, which is why the station project received this name.