Kingston, Jamaica – 26 September 2025 – At the invitation of the Government of China, Madam Secretary-General of the International Seabed Authority (ISA), Leticia Carvalho, paid her first visit to Beijing from 22 to 24 September 2025. During the visit, Madam Secretary-General had meetings with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Natural Resources of China. Madam Secretary-General also met with three contractors sponsored by China.
During the meeting with Madam Hua Chunying, Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Madam Hua congratulated Madam Secretary-General on her election as the first woman Secretary-General of the ISA. She reaffirmed China’s commitment to multilateralism and support for the mandate and work of the ISA. Madam Secretary-General expressed appreciation to the Government of China for its contribution and support to the work of ISA. Both sides exchanged views on the cooperation between China and the ISA.
“I wish to express appreciation to the Government of China for its exceptional support to the ISA, from its active participation in the Council and contributions to ISA funds, to its dedication to knowledge sharing and capacity development, including through the ISA-China Joint Training and Research Centre,” said Madam Secretary-General. “I also recognize the steady efforts of the contractors sponsored by China in the face of significant challenges, particularly their investments in technology development, environmental surveys and capacity development for developing States.”
Madam Secretary-General also met with Mr. Zhang Bing, Chief Planner, Ministry of Natural Resources and exchanged views on issues related to the role of the sponsoring State, activities of the contractors, draft regulations for the exploitation of mineral resources in the Area and the ISA-China Joint Training and Research Centre.
During the meetings with the contractors, China Ocean Mineral Resources Research and Development Association, China Minmetals and Beijing Pioneer High-Tech Development Corporation, Madam Secretary-General highlighted that the knowledge and experiences gained through the contractors’ activities are important to the work of the ISA and encouraged the contractors to continue engaging actively in the development of draft exploitation regulations.
About ISA
ISA is an autonomous intergovernmental organization mandated by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea to manage the mineral resources of the seabed beyond national jurisdiction for the shared benefit of humankind. ISA is committed to ensuring that all economic activities in the deep seabed, including mining, are regulated and responsibly managed using the best available scientific evidence for the benefit of all humankind.
For media inquiries, please contact:
ISA Communications Unit, news@isa.org.jm
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