China has condemned a new executive order by U.S. President Donald Trump that accelerates the approval process for deep-sea mining permits, calling the move a violation of international law and a threat to global interests. The U.S. authorisation... violates international law and harms the overall interests of the international community, said Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun during a press briefing on Friday. The statement followed Trumps Thursday directive aimed at expediting the issuance of licenses for seabed mineral exploration and commercial recovery, both within U.S. waters and in areas beyond national jurisdiction. The order tasks federal agencies with fast-tracking the review and approval of seabed mining projects and explicitly calls for the United States to become a global leader in deep-sea resource extraction, positioning the move as a strategic counter to what the administration described as Chinas growing influence over seabed mineral reserves. The deep ocean floor is rich in valuable minerals and rare earth metals, sparking growing interest from both private companies and national governments. However, large-scale commercial exploitation has remained limited due to regulatory uncertainty. Since the 1990s, the United Nations-affiliated International Seabed Authority (ISA) has been developing a legal framework for deep-sea mining in international waters, but the United States is not a party to the treaty that created the ISA and does not recognize its jurisdiction. Beijing, which has so far refrained from initiating deep-sea mining operations while awaiting the ISA's regulatory framework, criticised the Trump administrations unilateral move. These orders once again expose the unilateral approach and hegemonic nature of the United States, Guo added. The executive order is part of a broader set of policies under Trumps second term that seeks to assert American dominance in critical resource sectors, often in direct opposition to multilateral consensus and international governance structures.
China alleges that US deep-sea mining plan ‘violates international law’
China has condemned a new executive order by U.S. President Donald Trump that accelerates the approval process for deep-sea mining permits, calling the move a violation of international law and a threat to global interests. The U.S. authorisation... violates international law and harms the overall interests of the international community, said Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun during a press briefing on Friday. The statement followed Trumps Thursday directive aimed at expediting the issuance of licenses for seabed mineral exploration and commercial recovery, both within U.S. waters and in areas beyond national jurisdiction. The order tasks federal agencies with fast-tracking the review and approval of seabed mining projects and explicitly calls for the United States to become a global leader in deep-sea resource extraction, positioning the move as a strategic counter to what the administration described as Chinas growing influence over seabed mineral reserves. The deep ocean floor is rich in valuable minerals and rare earth metals, sparking growing interest from both private companies and national governments. However, large-scale commercial exploitation has remained limited due to regulatory uncertainty. Since the 1990s, the United Nations-affiliated International Seabed Authority (ISA) has been developing a legal framework for deep-sea mining in international waters, but the United States is not a party to the treaty that created the ISA and does not recognize its jurisdiction. Beijing, which has so far refrained from initiating deep-sea mining operations while awaiting the ISA's regulatory framework, criticised the Trump administrations unilateral move. These orders once again expose the unilateral approach and hegemonic nature of the United States, Guo added. The executive order is part of a broader set of policies under Trumps second term that seeks to assert American dominance in critical resource sectors, often in direct opposition to multilateral consensus and international governance structures.
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