A seabed excavation gold rush in the Pacific Ocean is splitting unity across Pacific nations. Diplomatic rivalries are rising as the United States and China compete over deep-sea minerals in the region. The U.S. is preparing for its first major seabed minerals lease sale off the Northern Mariana Islands.
Supporters are urging Australia to join a $41 trillion fight unfolding in its backyard. The effort to extract ocean minerals sparks fault lines beneath the Blue Pacific. These developments strain the future of Pacific unity as major nations compete.