China on Friday warned that a US push to approve deep-sea mining in domestic and international waters violates international law.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said this after a White House order to ramp up permits.
“The US authorisation... violates international law and harms the overall interests of the international community,”; Guo said.
On Thursday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to expedite the process for reviewing and issuing seabed mineral exploration licenses and commercial recovery permits in areas beyond national jurisdiction.
Private companies and governments have reportedly long eyed the mineral and metal resources found in stretches of the ocean floor.
However, they are said to have mostly held off while waiting for the International Seabed Authority, ISA, regulator to devise rules, a process that began in the 1990s.
DAILY POST reports that the United States never ratified the agreements that empowered the ISA’s jurisdiction and is not a member of the UN-affiliated body.
Trump’s order demands that Washington becomes a global leader in seabed exploration and counter China’s growing influence over seabed mineral resources.
Beijing, which has so far held off mining in international waters while awaiting ISA rules, warned Trump’s orders once again expose the unilateral approach and hegemonic nature of the United States.
