近两年来，海内外和海峡两岸的中国科学家围绕深海研究进行反复研讨，一致认为南海是我国深海研究的首选，并初步形成了“南海深部计划” 的研究方案，提出以“构建边缘海的生命史”为主题，从洋壳深海盆的演化、深海沉积、生物地球化学过程三方面开展研究的建议方案。他们建议：利用现代技术重新测定南海磁异常条带，争取钻探大洋壳，系统研究火山链；观测现代深部海流和海底沉积过程，从深海沉积中提取边缘海盆演化的信息；认识海底溢出流体与井下流体的分布与影响，揭示微型生物在深海碳循环中的作用。争取在科学和技术全国性合作的基础上，在南海实现我国深海研究的突破。

Over the last two years, Chinese scientists from the both sides of the Taiwan Strait and from overseas, met several times to discuss the direction of deep-sea research in China. All agreed that the South China Sea should be the first priority, and a preliminary sketch of research program of the “The South China Sea Deep” was drafted. The overarching goal of the proposed program is to unveil “the life of a marginal sea”, from three major perspectives: (1) evolution of the oceanic crust in the deep basin, which will be revealed by validating the magnetic anomalies in the South China Sea using new techniques, implementing deep-water drilling of the oceanic crust, and systematically investigating the volcanic mountain chains in the basin; (2) deep-sea sedimentation, including observation of the modern deep-water currents and benthic sedimentation, and reconstruction of sediment response to the evolution of the marginal basin; and (3) biogeochemical processes to be approached by exploring the dynamics and consequences of subsurface fluid circulation, and by evaluating the microbial contribution to the deep-sea carbon cycling. Research breakthroughs are expected in the South China Sea on the basis of nation-wide cooperation with a combined effort by the scientific and engineering communities.