China Goes Deep on Land, Sea and Further into Space for Resources

Diving technology displayed at the innoTech Expo in Hong Kong. The Jiaolong submersible was among the innovations displayed at the event which ended on Saturday. Photo: SCMP Pictures

SCMP says in its report “Rush for resources drives China’s ‘three-deep’ science quest” on October 5, “The Ministry of Land and Resources’ new five-year programme released last month identified deep space exploration as one of its “three-deep” strategies to help secure the country’s resources needs – the other two being deep-sea and deep-underground exploration.”

For deep sea and underground exploration, China plans to have 27 terrestrial survey and scientific research satellites by 2020.

The report says, “In the underground field, China will be able to mine from 2km beneath the ground and detect mineral deposits located at a depth of 3km by 2020. The country will also explore oil and natural gas located at between 6.5km and 10km underground.” China’s deep-sea submersible the Jiaolong is now able to go to the depth of 7,000 meters.

The Jiaolong submersible on display in Hong Kong. Photo: SCMP Pictures

Source: SCMP “Rush for resources drives China’s ‘three-deep’ science quest”, full text of which can be viewed at http://www.scmp.com/news/china/policies-politics/article/2025055/rush-resources-drives-chinas-three-deep-science-quest

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