2024 JFIPP Research Fellow - Lai-Ha Chan

Project Summary

Deep-sea mining (DSM) is a nascent and understudied research and yet has considerable implications for international politics. It constitutes a new geostrategic frontier of China-United States great-power competition. This project proposes an examination of DSM through the lens of International Relations, particularly focusing on the contestation between China and the United States (and its Indo-Pacific allies) for influence in shaping norms and regulations within the International Seabed Authority (ISA). Established by the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the ISA serves as the governing body overseeing DSM activities.

Geographically, this project is focused on the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ) in the northern Pacific Ocean where abundant critical mineral resources lie. It is proximate to the Pacific Islands where China and the US, along with their Indo-Pacific allies, vie for political influence. Central inquiries of this research include the impact of China's DSM advocacy and intensified diplomatic overtures, particularly towards the South Pacific state of Nauru, on the global governance framework for DSM. More importantly, it examines the competitive dynamics between China and the US, along with its allies in Australia and Japan, in shaping the emerging DSM order.

Anticipated outputs include a research monograph, one conference paper, several public seminars and policy recommendations. They are poised to significantly augment our understanding of the current and future international politics of DSM. These insights will enable countries like Australia, Japan, and the US to adeptly calibrate their foreign policies, strengthening their influence and safeguarding their interests not only in the Indo-Pacific but also on a broader global scale.