A Chinese surveying team reached the summit of Mount Qomolangma on Wednesday morning to conduct a series of surveys on the pinnacle of the planet. The event marked a crucial step in China's mission to remeasure the height of the world's highest peak, which scientists believe will enhance human knowledge of nature and help boost scientific development.
   An eight-member Chinese surveying team ascended through the "second step" on their way to the summit of Mt. Qomolangma, the world's highest peak, on Wednesday morning.
   At a height of 8,600 meters, the "second step" is an almost vertical wall of several meters high and extremely difficult to climb.
   The team of surveyors arrived at the camp at around 3:40 pm on Tuesday and rested for about 10 hours. Meanwhile, six mountaineering guides reached the summit and finished installing facilities at 4:35 pm, after which they descended.
   After summiting, team members began erecting a survey marker on the snow-covered peak, which measures less than 20 square meters.
   The surveyors will use a global navigation satellite system receiver, a gravimeter, snow-depth radar and a meteorological measuring instrument to determine the height of Qomolangma.
Innovations applied in the latest survey include the application of the BeiDou-3 Navigation Satellite System, domestic surveying equipment, the airborne gravimeter and 3D interactive virtual reality.