China has issued a stern warning against the United States’ recent move to advance deep-sea mining operations, accusing Washington of violating international law.

The warning came after U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday aimed at speeding up the approval process for seabed mineral exploration and commercial recovery permits, including in areas beyond national jurisdiction.

Responding on Friday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun stated, “The U.S. authorization… violates international law and harms the overall interests of the international community.”

While both private firms and governments have shown interest in the mineral-rich ocean floor for years, most have held off due to the absence of finalized regulations from the International Seabed Authority (ISA), the United Nations-affiliated body tasked with overseeing seabed mining.

Although the U.S. has not ratified the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and is not a member of the ISA, the executive order signals Washington’s intent to lead globally in seabed exploration and to counter China’s influence in the sector.

Beijing, which has refrained from initiating deep-sea mining in international waters pending ISA guidelines, condemned the U.S. move as another example of unilateralism and hegemonic behavior.