On October 18, the Ministry of Natural Resources (State Oceanic Administration) and the International Seabed Authority signed in Beijing the Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Natural Resources of China and the International Seabed Authority on the Establishment of a Joint Training and Research Centre, the agreement that would create the China-ISA Joint Training and Research Centre (JTRC). Wang Hong, member of the Ministry’s leading Party members group and Administrator of the State Oceanic Administration, and ISA Secretary-General Michael Lodge signed on behalf of the two sides. Officials of the relevant departments of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Finance attended the signing.
The memorandum is the first cooperation MOU the International Seabed Authority has signed with a member state other than its host-country agreement. Under the memorandum, the Ministry of Natural Resources (State Oceanic Administration) and the ISA will establish a joint training and research centre in China, to be located at the Ministry’s National Deep Sea Center in Qingdao.
The joint centre is an institution open to the international community, in particular developing countries, dedicated to training and research in deep-sea science, technology and policy. Its main responsibilities are to provide personnel from developing countries with professional training in deep-sea science, technology and management; to research and analyse the direction of deep-sea mining and trends in deep-sea technology, providing a reference basis for the formulation of relevant policies and regulations; and to promote exchanges and cooperation with developing countries in international seabed affairs.
Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, states and competent international organizations have a responsibility to actively promote the exchange of scientific data and information and the transfer of knowledge from marine scientific research, especially to developing countries, and to strengthen developing countries’ capacity to conduct marine scientific research independently, including through appropriate education and training programmes for their technical and scientific personnel. The ministry describes the joint centre as a significant step by China to implement the Convention, promote global ocean cooperation and support capacity building in developing countries.
Following the MOU signing, Beijing Pioneer Hi-Tech Development Corporation signed a polymetallic nodule exploration contract with the International Seabed Authority. Chen Zelong, legal representative of Beijing Pioneer, and Michael Lodge signed on behalf of the two parties.
Beijing Pioneer Hi-Tech Development Corporation is China’s third international seabed exploration contractor, after the China Ocean Mineral Resources Research and Development Association (COMRA) and China Minmetals Corporation. Over the next 15 years, the company will fulfil its contractual responsibilities and obligations under the framework of China’s Law on Exploration and Development of Resources in Deep Seabed Areas, carrying out polymetallic nodule resource exploration and evaluation, environmental surveys and assessment, mining technology research and testing, processing and metallurgical testing and evaluation, techno-economic evaluation, and training of scientific and technical personnel from developing countries.
The contract area is located in the Western Pacific and covers about 74,000 square kilometres, within which Beijing Pioneer holds exclusive exploration rights and priority development rights. On December 24 of the previous year, the company submitted to the ISA, under the parallel system, two areas of equal estimated commercial value. The ISA approved the application at its 25th session on July 15 of this year, with one block allocated as Beijing Pioneer’s contract area and the other as an ISA reserved area.
The signing of the exploration contract was carried out under the framework of China’s deep seabed law and is presented by the ministry as a further contribution to the principle of the common heritage of mankind.
