The race for deep-sea dominance has intensified as China and Japan move to secure underwater mineral resources essential for high-tech industries. 

The Chinese Ministry of Natural Resources has reportedly released a first comprehensive map of seabed features in the Bohai, Yellow, and East China Seas.

Based on two decades of research and over 20,000 observation points, it maps dozens of elements, including rare earths, copper, iron, and manganese.

The South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported that the document has been described as a “master navigation map” for the seabed. 

China is mapping the exact location of these minerals to stop guessing and keep its grip on the global market.

New undersea atlas

Rare earths comprise 17 metallic elements vital to the manufacturing of EVs, wind turbines, and advanced electronics. 

China currently holds a near-monopoly on these resources, controlling over 70% of global mining production and over 80% of the world’s refined materials.

China is using this map to prove its presence in contested seas while also listing the wealth hidden on the ocean floor.

The new atlas includes the Bohai Sea, the Yellow Sea, and the East China Sea, that overlaps with areas of geopolitical friction. 

Beijing is documenting seabed riches in the East China Sea, a move that overlaps with its bitter territorial standoff with Japan over the Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands.

Beyond resource extraction, the atlas serves an environmental purpose. It would enable the government to establish “red lines” for conservation and better manage ecological risks.

Japan is not sitting idly by. Faced with tightening Chinese export controls, Japan is pursuing its own domestic supply chains.

It is looking to reduce its reliance on Chinese imports. 

In February, a Japanese test mission successfully extracted rare-earth-rich mud from a depth of 6,000 meters (19,700 feet) near Minamitori Island in the western Pacific Ocean. 

The mission took place near Minamitori, a remote, uninhabited atoll located nearly 1,900km (1,180 miles) southeast of Tokyo. Notably, these resource-rich waters fall outside the boundaries of China’s newly released atlas.

Reuters reported that this sediment is thought to contain key elements such as dysprosium and neodymium for EV motor magnets, alongside gadolinium and terbium, which are essential for various high-tech devices.

Japan’s strategy for resource independence

Japan’s exploration efforts accelerated after relations with Beijing deteriorated following Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s controversial comments on Taiwan. 

In response to those remarks, China imposed strict export controls on rare earth elements and magnets in January, citing security concerns, forcing Tokyo to seek independent supplies.

Takaichi has also labeled the industrialization of domestic rare earths a priority for “supply chain resilience.”

The deep sea has become a new front in global power competition, fueled by escalating trade tensions. 

In response to tariffs imposed by the Trump administration, Beijing retaliated with two waves of rare-earth export controls last year. 

Meanwhile, Japan and the United States have formalized their own alliance, signing a March 2026 agreement to collaborate on seabed mining as they race to secure the minerals that will define the future tech world. 

This competition mirrors the tensions seen in the Arctic, as nations scramble to secure the 17 metallic elements vital for EVs, wind turbines, and military hardware.

At present, standard mining practices suffer from low mineral concentrations and monopolistic control; deep-sea deposits can be ten times richer in essential elements.

However, this potential comes with a catch: extracting resources from the deep requires cutting-edge robotics to survive extreme pressure and involves navigating the murky legalities of contested international waters.

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