Shaun Yixuan Weng has become the first ethnic Chinese sailing around the world alone after completing his solo circumnavigation and passed through the five great capes of the Southern Ocean.

　　The Beijing-born US citizen arrived at the Port of Wellington, capital of New Zealand, on his sloop "Albatross," ending his three and half year journey, on April 9, 2002. During the journey, the 42-year-old man sailed 31,200 nautical miles on vast oceans and conquered numerous untold difficulties and obstacles, thus making the Chinese contribution to the world's modern maritime history.

　　Weng was enrolled in a Northeast Chinese university of science and technology in 1978, with computer science being his major. Two years later, he went to the United States to continue his studies in computer science at the University of Texas. As a computer science student, he was also interested in liberal arts and enhanced his love for nature.

　　In an interview on his 12-meters "Albatross," Weng said that he went to Southern California in early 1990's as a computer software developer. Through constantly contacting the Pacific Ocean, enjoying the sunshine, and watching the Channel Islands on the sea, he fell in love with sailing.

　　He bought his first sailboat and lived aboard. He spent all his spare time on the boat and cruised all over the Channel Islands National Park. Later on, he mastered diving and enjoyed the underwater world and marine lives very much.

　　Then a dream of sailing around the world alone came to his mind and consolidated gradually. In 1996, he spent 100,000 US dollars for his second boat, which was suitable for oceangoing voyage. He named the second-hand fiberglass boat "Albatross" and painted the name in Chinese on it to show his love for nature and his determination to follow the bird that roams in the Southern Ocean.