BEIJING, Aug 19 (INP): President Xi Jinping on Saturday congratulated a research team on conducting China's second scientific expedition to the Qinghai-Tibet plateau, which also included sections of the route of the China- Pakistan Economic Corridor. The expedition, led by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), will analyse the impact of environmental change on social development and provide suggestion for the building of a national park in the area. When the expedition began in June this year, a report in the state-run Xinhua news agency had said it also included China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and a pass linking South Asia. The area covers the Karakoram mountain range, including parts of the Siachen glacier. In a letter to the team, Xi expressed his appreciation and greetings to scientists, young students and support staff who carried out the comprehensive scientific expedition to the plateau. The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is an important ecological safety barrier and strategic resource reserve base, Xinhua news agency reported, quoting Xi's letter. He said that the team should focus on problems related to carrying capacity of the resources and the environment, disaster risk, green development on the plateau and ecological environmental protection. Vice Premier Liu Yandong read the letter at a ceremony in Lhasa, capital of Tibet Autonomous Region. The last expedition of similar scale in Tibet, regarded as roof of the world with extremely rare fragile ecological system, was conducted in the 1970s. This time, the expedition will last five to 10 years. The CAS has taken more than 100 scientists. They will divided into four groups and make a comprehensive survey of the plateau glaciers, climate change, biodiversity and ecological changes, Yao Tandong, an academician with the CAS had said in June. "Great changes have taken place in the plateau's resources and environment since the first scientific expedition. We need further research to find out ways to cope with these changes," said Yao, director of the CAS Institute of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Research. China's first comprehensive scientific expedition to the Tibet plateau began in the 1970s and covered more than 50 disciplines including geologic structure, prehistoric life, geophysics, climate, zoology and botany. "The scientists reported major discoveries and filled many gaps in plateau research," Yao said. The new round of research, he said, will focus on changes. INP/J/SB/AK