A Chinese institute under the Ministry of Natural Resources released a report on Tuesday criticizing a major non-party power for unilaterally delineating an extended continental shelf and advancing deep-sea mining.
The report was published by the China Institute for Marine Affairs under the Ministry of Natural Resources. It states that such unilateral actions are illegal and without legal effect, encroaching on the international seabed area designated as the common heritage of mankind.
The report notes that as of April 2026 the convention has 172 States Parties, including the European Union. It declares resources in the international seabed area the common heritage of mankind and tasks the International Seabed Authority with regulating activities there.
The document says the major power invokes customary international law as a pretext and adopts a pick-and-choose approach that undermines the legitimacy of the multilateral system. All mineral-related activities must occur exclusively within the UNCLOS framework.
The convention is described as a significant post-war achievement that upholds multilateralism and safeguards the interests of developing countries.
