China has approved the construction of a groundbreaking deep-sea research facility in the resource-rich and strategically significant South China Sea

 

 

China has approved the construction of a groundbreaking deep-sea research facility in the resource-rich and strategically significant South China Sea. Dubbed a “deep-sea space station,” the facility will be positioned 6,560 feet underwater and is expected to be operational by 2030. It will accommodate up to six scientists for month-long missions, focusing on marine exploration and energy research.

 

A key objective of the station is the study of cold seep ecosystems, which contain vast methane hydrate deposits—potential energy sources. The facility will feature a permanent monitoring network to track methane levels, tectonic activity, and ecological changes.

 

China’s extensive seabed fiber-optic network and the Mengxiang drilling ship—designed to reach Earth’s mantle—will support the project. The station may be nuclear-powered, further reinforcing China’s technological ambitions in deep-sea exploration.

 

The South China Sea holds an estimated 70 billion tons of methane hydrates, along with valuable mineral deposits like cobalt and nickel.