China explores Pacific Ocean’s minerals in deep-sea dive

China has sent a manned deep-sea craft into the Pacific Ocean depths after it and Russia were granted permits to explore for minerals by the International Seabed Authority, news reports said Friday.

China and Russia were the first countries to have received this week permits for deep sea exploration from the Jamaica-based ISA, which is a branch of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

ISA also has approved applications from private companies from some South Pacific islands like Tonga and Nauru, which have joined the race to explore for rare earth and other mineral deposits in deep seabed.

China is currently embroiled in dispute with some Southeast Asian nations over the rights to explore for oil and gas in islands in the South China Sea.

Chinese state media, quoting the State Oceanic Administration, said China’s Jiaolong submersible was to attempt to descend to 5,000 metres after the craft dived to a depth of 4,000 metres on Thursday.

The Wall Street Journal said Jiaolong was diving at a unspecified site between Hawaii and North America to explore for minerals.

The US has signed but not ratified the 1982 Law of the Sea convention, which is responsible for determining maritime and economic boundaries between states.

The convention has more than 180 members, including Russia and China, which have ratified the convention. China is also a full-time member of the Seabed Authority in Kingston, which was set up to promote development of mineral exploration at deep-sea levels.

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