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China proposes joint mining of Indian Ocean ahead of Modi's visit to Beijing

Large deposits of gold and silver are discovered in Indian Ocean

Web Desk May 07, 2015

deputy director of the association zongyu terms india as an 039 ideal partner 039 photo pti

Deputy director of the association, Zongyu terms India as an 'ideal partner'. PHOTO: PTI

BEIJING: A week before Indian Prime Minister Narendara Modi is set to visit the country, China said it was 'eager to cooperate' with India on deep sea mining in the Indian Ocean where large deposits of gold and silver have reportedly been discovered.

Read: Modi to ramp up help for Indian Ocean nations to counter China influence

"With quickening oceanic development and increasing mineral exploration in the Indian Ocean, China is eager to cooperate with India on deep seabed mining," China Ocean Mineral Resource R&D Association, China's official body dedicated for exploration and development of the ocean floor and subsoil, stated.

Read: India's Modi to make first visit to rival giant China

Calling India an 'ideal partner', deputy director of the association He Zongyu said there would be numerous chances for cooperation between the two countries in the future as they are both developing countries and common contractors with the International Seabed Authority (ISA).

PHOTO: XINHUA

Deputy Director of the State Oceanic Administration, Chen Lianzeng, during his tour to India in April, suggested that not only should the neighbouring countries cooperate on oceanic research and development but also share the costs, risks and benefits of the project.

Deep seabed mining is high-cost and high-risk work, with costs for a mining site topping $1.6 billion, Lianzeng said.

Read: Indian Ocean to become India’s ocean: report

The early proposal from Beijing came in immediately after Jiaolong, China's deep sea-manned submersible reported large deposits of gold and silver were discovered in southwest Indian Ocean.

PHOTO: REUTERS

Modi is expected to hold formal and informal talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang in Xi'an and Beijing, during his three-day visit to China on May 14.

This article originally appeared on Times of India

COMMENTS (15)

ask | 9 years ago | Reply @Ibrar: If you are representing PRC & get vicarious pleasure out of China's victory to compensate for pain of your loss you are like a Pak-cricket fan who having lost to India is thrilled that India lost to Australia. Admittedly, that equation has a school-boyish charm about it. For some. Now, did I mention a word about Pakistani surrender of 1971 or the course of war? I didn't! I mentioned you couldn't hold on to your people for more than 25 years. How can you deserve Kashmiris, let alone Juanagrhis & Hyderabadis? India didn't win, you lost horribly. We lost to China a battle & land but not our people; you lost fellow-Pakistanis for ever & you are not bothered!! Strange! Only role of '71 I assigned to India & to Indira was "midwifery". Old fashioned term, I admit. Do you know what that means & if you are too young to know will you please seek guidance from your respected parents?

Ibrar | 9 years ago | Reply @ask: Sensible Indians would normally avoid mentioning their malicious role in Bangladesh episode because it reminds them their own trauma of 1962. Do not say you have forgotten it or was not born yet. You can not erase your army's shameful rout from your memory because the humiliation that you suffered at the hands of Chinese has been printed on Indian genes with an indelible ink. If you happen to be too young your dad must have told you as a duty how your soldiers fled from their lines as soon as they saw the Chines approaching.They simply disappeared into holes. Humiliation was so painful and still is that Indians still today goose bump with a cold shiver running down their spine. Can you really talk about 1971.

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ask | 9 years ago | Reply @Asad Malik: You forgot to mention Hyderabad Deccan & midwifery at birth of Bangladesh! Probably most readers are of post-71 generation and don't really care for vague places like Junagarh & Manavader considering half the country couldn't be retained even for 25 years. And world doesn't care; therefore, the standard litany of dated Pakistanis is now a cry in the wilderness.

Abacus | 9 years ago | Reply @Asad Malik: "we dont recognize you as a regional power" Now, now - don't get your panties in a twist. As if we give a hoot what you think....

JSM | 9 years ago | Reply @Asad Malik: "We are not strawbrained monkeys" What ytpe of monkeys you are?

Asad Malik | 9 years ago | Reply @Meghana Coming out of the mouth of land-grabbing nation such as yours;the other being israel.Every step you take is calculated.We Pakistani's can never forget the bloodshed post independence.Your nation simply despised Pakistan's creation.Kashmir a muslim majority state you took it by force,junagadh is an example.It was acceded to us you took it by force and did referendum which because of Hindu majority went in India's hands.You took our Kashmir by force,never allowed a referendum(which obviously would have been ours).You have no moral and humanitarian standards.We are not strawbrained monkeys not to understand your regional destabilizing tactics and we dont recognize you as a regional power,you dont have the moral standards to be that.

Meghana | 9 years ago | Reply @salman India's biggest trading partner is China. We don't consider them foe. Rather partners who take on developed world together in one voice on many world issues. @Ibrar? Distracted? Enhanced strategic deals? What your country does or doesn't, doesn't effect us. Unless another mumbai event happens our interests are no were compromised. India has delinked itself from pakistan since 80s. It's af-pak. India-China now. It's our country's national interest that matters to us like securing energy lines-chabar port, Qatar, Oman etc. nuclear energy,solar,hydro energy etc. Increasing its economic trade within the country and world. Pm modi has already signed many deals overseas as well as given nod infrastructural projects that were stuck by congress. Our gdp is growing above 7% , since the gloom and unhappiness we suffered for past ten years of congress regime. We are more than happy with were our country is heading now.

woody | 9 years ago | Reply USA trade with China is so large that there is no way China can survive without it - if similar pattern takes place with India then Pakistan may have to re-think it's foreign policy. In the long run closer ties between India and China might be the only way to resolve long standing Pakistan/India conflict.

Rishabh Jain | 9 years ago | Reply Better to cooperate with Sri Lanka or Maldives who at least have stakes and will be better off with the returns. As for Deep Sea mining, Iceland has the best technology and would be willing to help out.

khalil ahmed | 9 years ago | Reply Our enemy's enemy is not our friend.

Sumit | 9 years ago | Reply India alone is capable of mining Indian ocean and should reject any offer from China. It's our backyard. Why would we allow any country the rights? If at all any permission is given, it should be on a reciprocal basis and India should demand rights to mine South China sea. As far as Pakistanis are concerned, fix your crumbling economy instead of worrying about India 24/7.

JSM | 9 years ago | Reply @salman: Foe? India has US$100 billion trade with China.

Indian | 9 years ago | Reply Ya this is good but it should be on reciprocal basis if this is done in Indian Ocean then China must allow India to corporate with Vietnam and China to explore South China Sea where China have reservations.

Ibrar | 9 years ago | Reply This cooperation should be seen a very positive development in the region, shifting the focus from mere rivalry. Rather than acting on daddy Obama's encouragement on counterweighing Chinese there are potential economic gains. Initiating any "PUNGA" in South China Sea(to appease Americans) could prove counter-productive and could hurt and I am sure Indians know who must already have got distracted by recent massive Pak-China economic and enhanced strategic deals.

salman | 9 years ago | Reply China is open for economic terms with every country but India considers them as foe. Talking about being paranoid.

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