Pacific Island Nation Kiribati "Discusses Deep-Sea Mineral Mining Cooperation with China"

Pacific Island Nation Kiribati Seeks Deep-Sea Mining Cooperation with China
U.S. Moves to Counter China's Expanding Influence in the Pacific

Pacific island nations are increasingly cooperating with China to extract deep-sea minerals from the ocean floor.

President Taneti Maamau of the Pacific island nation Kiribati. Photo by Reuters and Yonhap News Agency

According to AFP on the 18th (local time), the Pacific island nation of Kiribati announced in a statement the day before that it is seeking cooperation with China for deep-sea mineral mining.

The Kiribati government explained in the statement, "This discussion provides an exciting opportunity to explore potential cooperation for Kiribati's sustainable deep-sea resource exploration."

The Kiribati government began discussions with Zhao Limin, the Chinese ambassador to Kiribati, after the deep-sea mineral exploration contract with the Canadian deep-sea mining company 'The Metals Company' ended late last year.

The seabed is rich in nickel and cobalt, which are attracting attention as raw materials for batteries and other uses, making deep-sea mineral development a recent focus of interest. Kiribati, which holds exploration rights for about 75,000 km² of the Pacific seabed, said it is seeking opportunities to partner with other foreign entities.

Kiribati continues its pro-China stance, led by President Taneti Maamau, who is considered a leading pro-China leader among Pacific island nations and secured a third term last year. President Maamau, first elected in 2016, severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan in 2019 and established relations with China.

Since then, China has increased infrastructure investments in Kiribati, including airports. From 2023, Chinese public security officers in uniform have been operating locally, providing security support.

In response, the United States is striving to curb China's expanding influence by supporting the establishment of an embassy and pier improvement projects in Kiribati.

Last month, China signed a comprehensive strategic partnership agreement with the Cook Islands, a self-governing territory of New Zealand, agreeing to cooperate on deep-sea mineral development. However, direct exploration and mining permits were not included in the cooperation details.