China has condemned a United States initiative to fast-track deep-sea mining approvals, warning on Friday that Washington’s approach “violates international law” and damages the broader interests of the global community.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said the US authorisation of deep-sea mining activities “violates international law and harms the overall interests of the international community.”
The warning comes after President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday directing American agencies to “expedite the process for reviewing and issuing seabed mineral exploration licences and commercial recovery permits in areas beyond national jurisdiction.”
While governments and private firms have long coveted the mineral-rich seabed, most have refrained from exploitation, awaiting regulations from the International Seabed Authority (ISA) — a process that has been ongoing since the 1990s.
The United States, however, never ratified the United Nations agreements that grant the ISA jurisdiction over international seabed areas and remains outside the body.
Trump’s order explicitly calls for Washington to become a “global leader” in seabed exploration and to “counter China’s growing influence over seabed mineral resources.”
Beijing, which itself holds the largest number of exploration licences issued by the ISA but has so far refrained from mining, criticised the move as a further display of Washington’s “unilateral approach and hegemonic nature.”