China constructing world’s 1st “Deep Sea Station” in…, Beijing’s plan is to…

In what could provide a huge boost to China’s economy and reshaping the global energy dynamics, the country is constructing the world’s first permanent undersea research station to study gas hydrates, a potential energy source. This move could exceed the Persian Gulf’s oil reserves. Beijing officially confirmed the project on March 1, 2025.

The research station, which is a deep-sea habitat will be built in methane-rich “cold seep” zones. The interesting part is that six researchers will live for month-long missions to analyze these crystalline formations of methane trapped in ice.

This deep-sea habitat, set to begin operation by 2030, is estimated to have 80 billion tonnes of oil-equivalent energy—significantly exceeding the Gulf’s 50 billion-tonne proven oil reserves which can reshape the global energy dynamics.

This deep-sea station represents China’s most ambitious bid to map this frontier.

From a military standpoint, this project extends beyond research; it’s a strategic maneuver in a contested region.

The South China Sea is a military hotspot. China’s nine-dash line, first drawn in 1947, overlaps with the territorial claims of Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Brunei. Vietnam claims the Paracel and Spratly Islands and has clashed with China in 1974 and 1988.

The Philippines contests China’s claims, particularly around the Scarborough Shoal and parts of the Spratly Islands.

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