According to The Age in January 2010 Xu Shaoshi lead a high-level delegation to the Antarctic, aboard China's icebreaking research vessel, Xue Long.

Among the officials who accompanied him was Qu Tanzhou, the director of the Chinese Arctic and Antarctic Administration.

Jo Chandler, writing in The Age, reported that Xu declined to be interviewed and the presence of his delegation was not covered in the Chinese Press.

Chandler reported that the purpose of the tour was to familiarize Xu and his colleagues with China's research efforts in the Antarctic, and the potential mineral resources that could be exploited there.

She noted that China, like all other parties to the International treaties to the Antarctic, was barred from resource exploitation until 2048.