China to send women into deep ocean

Ye Cong, chief oceanaut and designer of Jiaolong - China's deep-sea research submersible - said two females will most likely be selected from biologists.

The new recruits will receive four-years training before conducting a deep sea dive, said Ye.

The female candidates will be required to have a higher mental capacity than their male counterparts and capable of coping with pressure, Ye was quoted as saying.

From 2013, Jiaolong will increase its dives from the current several times a year to more than 50 deep-sea dives.