The South China Sea will see China build a deep-sea research station at 2,000 meters depth by 2030. The “deep-sea space station” project will match the complexity of three International Space Station modules while demonstrating China’s leadership goals in marine science and underwater resource exploration.
The Chinese Academy of Sciences approved the establishment of this research station, which will operate near hydrothermal vents where mineral-rich fluids escape from natural formations that sustain more than 600 unique species. The vents contain rare organisms with medical value and indicate mineral deposits containing cobalt and nickel.
The station will include extended life support systems and autonomous submersibles while providing a real-time data and surveillance capability through its fiber-optic network. The station operates within a “four-dimensional” surveillance network that includes the Mengxiang drilling ship that aims to penetrate into Earth’s mantle.
Methane hydrates in the South China Sea amount to 70 billion tons, which represents half of China’s total oil and gas reserves. China’s energy security and technological independence will change dramatically when they extract these resources along with rare minerals. However, environmental concerns loom large. The deployment of advanced monitoring tools by scientists will establish a balance between resource extraction and ecosystem protection of the vulnerable deep-sea environments.
The deep-ocean engineering capabilities demonstrated by China through this venture have increased its presence in the global competition for ocean resources. The project’s success would establish a blueprint for underwater facilities and transform human exploration of Earth’s final unknown territory.
China seeks to establish either a sustainable deep-sea exploration approach or resource exploitation will take precedence. Future interactions between humans and the ocean may undergo a transformative shift because of this project.
