China has strongly criticized a new U.S. executive order that speeds up the process for approving deep-sea mining permits. According to the Chinese government, this move goes against international law and threatens global interests.

The order, signed by U.S. President Donald Trump, aims to make it easier for companies to explore and extract valuable minerals from the ocean floor. The U.S. wants to become a global leader in deep-sea resource extraction, especially to counter China’s increasing influence in this area.

China’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Guo Jiakun, said the U.S. action harms international interests. This order is designed to fast-track the approval of mining projects, both within U.S. waters and beyond national borders. The deep ocean floor is known to contain valuable minerals, which are in high demand for various industries. However, large-scale mining has been limited due to unclear regulations.

Since the 1990s, the International Seabed Authority (ISA), a UN-affiliated organization, has been working on creating rules for deep-sea mining in international waters. However, the U.S. is not part of this treaty and does not accept the ISA’s authority.

China has avoided starting deep-sea mining while waiting for clearer regulations from the ISA. The Chinese government claims that the U.S. is acting alone without considering international agreements, and this reflects a broader trend of the U.S. pushing its own interests over global cooperation.

This new order is part of Trump’s broader effort to boost American dominance in key resource industries, often against international cooperation and rules.