On Friday, China issued a warning regarding a recent US effort to approve deep-sea mining in both domestic and international waters, stating that it breaches international law. Guo Jiakun, a spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry, made this comment following a directive from the White House to accelerate the issuance of permits for seabed mineral exploration and commercial recovery in areas beyond national jurisdiction. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday to streamline the review process for these licenses. Although private companies and governments have been interested in the ocean floor’s mineral and metal resources, they have largely refrained from actions pending the establishment of regulations by the International Seabed Authority (ISA), a process that commenced in the 1990s. It is notable that the United States has not ratified the agreements that grant the ISA its authority and is not affiliated with this UN body. Trump’s directive calls for the US to take a leading role in seabed exploration and to counteract China’s increasing influence over these mineral resources. Meanwhile, Beijing, which has refrained from mining in international waters while waiting for ISA regulations, criticized the US for its unilateral actions and hegemonic tendencies.
