China and Cook Islands team up on sea survey as rare earths race expands to oceans
Nine-day voyage comes just weeks after a US research ship conducts its own survey in the region
Welcoming the Da Yang Hao to port, Sun Shuxian, the Chinese vice-minister of natural resources, said the voyage followed the signing of a number of cooperation agreements between the two countries this year.
This included a five-year action plan for a comprehensive strategic partnership that was signed during Prime Minister Mark Brown’s state visit to China in February.
Sun, who is also the director of China’s State Oceanic Administration, added that China would continue to support marine research and training in the Cook Islands.
“China will continue to offer the Chinese government marine scholarship and warmly welcome outstanding young students and scientists from the Cook Islands to pursue master’s or doctoral degrees in marine-related majors in China,” Sun said, according to Cook Islands News.